Mitt Romney Rolls Through Rumson

It was nothing new to the sleepy peninsula suburb of when 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney paid a visit to a private West River Road estate for a political fundraiser early Wednesday evening.

"We've done it before," longtime Republican Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl said. "We had Dick Cheney here a few years back."

Ekdahl, who was not planning to attend the event, said he was not at liberty to disclose the exact address, but he did say that there would be extra police patrols on duty on and around the property for the evening.

Taking a ride down River Road, the extra patrols became obvious at a riverfront West River Road estate where American flags draped the front posts at the entrance gate and driveway and three policemen were stationed.

A sign supporting Republican Sen. Joe Kyrillos — who is running for U.S. Senate in an attempt to unseat Democratic Senator Robert Menendez — was posted out front of the long driveway to the home.

According to app.com, the home in which the fundraiser took place is that of Lewis M. Eisenberg. Romney was at a fundraiser earlier in Lakewood. The two events were expected to garner about $2 million in funds for the campaign, the app.com story added.

The Rumson fundraiser was expected to be the smaller of the two. There were no visible traffic tie-ups on River Road, which is the main thoroughfare that spans from Red Bank through Rumson. Only a few cars could be seen entering the site at about 5:30 p.m. At about 7:30 p.m., cars were seen exiting, and traffic was stopped for a few minutes heading west.

Big-name political fundraisers are not only common to Rumson, but to the surrounding Two River area.

Across the river in the Navesink section of Middletown, rocker Bon Jovi has been known for hosting countless, large fundraising events, hosting politicians such as former Vice President Al Gore, President Barack Obama and a host of other high-profile Democrats.

The late Judith Stanley, who was a prominent Republican figurehead in the area, former chairwoman of the Middletown Planning Board and socialite, has hosted many such events on her Navesink estate as well.

Were you at the Rumson Romney fundraiser? Tell us about it in the comments section below; and either upload your photos or email them to elaine.develde@patch.com.

*This is story will be expanded as more information becomes available.