Krafczek Loses Council Seat to Independent Foschini

STONE HARBOR – Republican Charles Krafczek lost his seat on the Stone Harbor governing body in the Nov. 8 election. 
Stone Harbor is a partisan municipality meaning that candidates almost always run under the banner of a party. Since the Democratic party does not traditionally run a candidate in the borough, the real election is usually in the Republican primary. Neither Krafczek nor Jennifer Gensemer, the two incumbents on the current council who sought reelection, were challenged in the primary.
Victor Foschini was elected to the council as an independent with 269 votes. He is a realtor with an office in Sea Isle City. A Navy veteran and past small business owner, Foschini is a recent permanent resident of Stone Harbor. The real estate markets Foschini most often deals with are Sea Isle City, Avalon and Stone Harbor. 
Gensemer successfully defended her seat on council with 259 votes. Gensemer is also a real estate professional and a twenty-year resident of Stone Harbor and Avalon. Gensemer won a three-year term on council in 2019. 
Krafczek was first elected to council in 2016 and reelected to his seat in 2019. With only two seats open, he ran a distant third in the 2022 election with 123 total votes. Krafczek is an attorney with a law degree from Dickenson School of Law. He is a self-employed real estate developer and borough small business owner. Krafczek purchased a home in the borough in 2006.
Krafczek was one of two new candidates that came to council with the election of Judith Davies-Dunhour as mayor in 2016. That election followed the defeat of then-mayor Suzanne Walters and councilmember Barry Mastrangelo during a primary season animated by a struggle with Atlantic City Electric over the installation of large steel transmission poles. 
On council, among other issues he has championed, Krafczek has been a voice for having the borough divest itself of municipal property in order to reduce long-term debt.