LONG BRANCH – This seaside burgh on the North Jersey shore set the scene for the first collision in tonight’s mayoral debate, when incumbent Mayor Adam Schneider went after Councilman John Pallone on the heels of a question about how such a friendly town could weather negative campaign mail.

Candidate Avery Grant talked about his “smile campaign.”

For his part, “I try not be decisive – to not be divisive, sorry,” said Pallone.

Schneider pounced.

“The question was about negative mail,” said the mayor. “Neither Mr. Grant nor I has sent out a single mailer yet.”

That left Pallone.

“It’s PAC money that isn’t being disclosed,” said Schneider. “Every single one of those mailers has been dishonest and despicable.”

“I have no knowledge of who’s sending them out,” Pallone said.

One of the pieces in question, linked above, actually came from the Pallone Campaign.