Maria Escalante Concedes Eatontown Mayoral Election To Anthony Talerico

EATONTOWN, NJ — Maria Escalanate officially conceded the Eatontown mayoral election to Anthony Talerico, who was re-elected Tuesday night to a third term as Eatontown's mayor.

The final vote count is 2,913 votes for Talerico and 1,428 for Escalante, according to the Monmouth County Clerk.

"I did think it would be closer," Escalante said Wednesday morning, of the vote count.

The vote has not been certified yet; that usually takes a few days.

Escalante ran as a Republican Councilwoman for mayor against current Eatontown Mayor Talerico, a Democrat. It was difficult to be elected as a Republican in these midterms, said Escalante.

"I had voters tell me they would like to vote for me, but they couldn't because I was running as a Republican," she said.

Democratic candidates were elected across the nation, in what was not just a blue wave Tuesday night, but a blue tsunami. Right here in Monmouth County, for years considered one of the few Republican strongholds left in New Jersey, two longtime Republican power brokers, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry and Commissioner Erik Anderson lost to two Democratic newcomers.

Escalante ran on a campaign of being critical of how Eatontown town hall operates, with not enough transparency and alleged backroom dealing.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Escalante. "I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing and I'm not going to stop speaking up."

"Last night I congratulated Mayor Talerico," Escalante posted on Facebook Wednesday morning. "The voters of Eatontown made their choice, and I respect it. I want him to do well, because when our mayor does well, our town does well. Thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported this campaign. It meant more to me than you know. Thank you to my running mates, Kevin and Ali, and to my chairperson, Cathy, for the time and work you put in. Thank you to my husband Miguel, my two sons, and my daughter. You put up with late nights and a lot of me talking about town issues. I couldn't have done any of this without you."

"I'm proud of the campaign I put forward," she continued. "I focused on the facts, asked real questions about how our money is spent, and worked to keep the conversation about issues, not personalities. And I want you to know, I'm not going anywhere. I'm still your councilwoman, and I'll keep doing what I've always done. I'll ask questions, follow the numbers, and push for transparency, whoever is sitting in the mayor's chair. That work doesn't stop because of one election. Eatontown is my home. It's where I raised my family and where I run my business. I love this town, and I'll keep working for it.Thank you, all of you."

Talerico In Lead Over Escalante In Eatontown Mayor Election (Tuesday night)