A state of emergency did not deter John Pallone and a band of supporters tonight, as the challenger for the mayoralty of Long Branch formally kicked off the campaign first identified as a coming local flashpoint by InsiderNJ.

Pallone - younger brother of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) - chose the local Italian American Memorial Association as his staging area to take on 28-year incumbent Mayor Adam Schneider.

As one person put it, many believe this to be the mayor's first fearsome challenge.