Candidates should not keep party affiliation a secret

We have been receiving scads of campaign fliers and literature for state and local candidates that come around this time every year.

What's interesting about the signs and literature this year is not what's said - the usual blather about protecting Man-alapan and New Jersey from rampant development - but what is not said.

In a surprising number of campaign fliers we have received, and on signs around town, there is no mention of the candidate's party affiliation.

Are they ashamed of calling themselves Republicans or Democrats? Have Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld on one side and New Jersey state senators John Lynch and Wayne Bryant on the other so sullied the names of their respective parties that the poor local candidates are afraid to be identified with any party?

Beyond the embarrassment factor, there is something deceptive about a candidate promising to end partisan bickering without disclosing their own partisan ties.

Why would a local candidate be wary of disclosing ties to the party that nominated them? It hardly bodes well for a candidate's honesty when they don't even disclose which party they belong to.

Steve Peterson

Manalapan