MARLBORO - Renzo Kolenovic claimed a few months ago that political retribution was hurting business at his Italian restaurant.

Now he's fighting back at the ballot box.

Kolenovic, who heads a group called "The Real Republicans of Monmouth County," has announced a slate of candidates for the June 10 Republican primary. They will run - presumably - against incumbents backed by the county GOP organization.

Kolenovic claims many local Republicans are frustrated with the current leadership of County GOP Chairman Shaun Golden, who is also the county sheriff.

“We are a group of Republicans who believe in open, honest, and fair government, and we want a party organization that is free from intimidation and threats by party leaders,” is how Kolenovic put it.

The slate's candidates are:

For county clerk - Danielle Bellomo of Marlboro.

For two seats on the board of commissioners - Mary C. “Katie” Kelliher and Ronald Osadacz Jr., both of Freehold Township.

A candidate to challenge Golden for sheriff will surface soon, the campaign said.

Of the just-announced candidates, Bellomo is the only elected official. She serves on the Marlboro Board of Education and in last year's election - a highly-competitive race involving two, 3-person slates - Bellomo was the top vote getter by far.

As for the commission candidates, Kelliher is a real estate agent and Osadacz is a detective in Aberdeen and president of a local Police Benevolent Association.

The incumbents are Clerk Christine Hanlon and Commissioners Thomas Arnone, the board director, and Dominick DiRocco.

Primaries tend to be "family fights," and, as such, personalities and alliances can be more important than issues.

Witness Kolenovic's contention last November that political opponents were trying to hurt his business - Renzo's Italian Restaurant. To that end, he pointed to a text message going around claiming he was a "RINO" - a dreaded term to some Republicans.

In truth, Kolenovic backs Bill Spadea, a right winger, for governor as opposed to Jack Ciattarelli, the choice of the Monmouth County Republican organization.

Spadea, in fact, was just in Monmouth for a "meet and greet" and seemed right in tune with Kolenovic's efforts. He said the county's political leaders try to bully and intimidate people.

Another genuine issue is Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall Township.

The county commissioners just ended a contentious attempt to take the airport through condemnation.

Kolenovic was a critic of that plan.

The commissioners' move - fortuitously occurring three months before the primary - takes that issue off the table.

But does it?

You can expect the slate of "Real Republicans" to ask, why the commissioners wasted so much time and money on this endeavor in the first place?