A conservative Peapack-Gladstone councilman who recently coined the term “Transpublican” to describe Republicans he considers insufficiently conservative says he will challenge State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) in next year’s Republican primary.
Sweeney, who won his first term on the Borough Council last year, announced his candidacy in the 21st legislative district, which includes parts of Union, Somerset, Morris and Middlesex counties.
“I’m proud to announce that I’m running for New Jersey State Senate in LD21 in 2027 as a Republican,” Sweeney said. “It’s time for a new generation of true conservative leadership with the backbone to fight for our values and deliver for our communities.”
Sweeney was elected without opposition in 2025 to succeed his late father, Council President John Sweeney, who died while in office.
His announcement comes two days after Democrats won both council seats on the ballot in Peapack-Gladstone, a traditionally Republican Somerset County community.
Last month, Sweeney took aim at Republicans he believes are too moderate.
“I hereby call for an end to the term RINO and am coining the term Transpublican: a Democrat who identifies as a Republican,” he said.
“These extremists who had to find someone to challenge me must not have seen the results from Tuesday’s election,” Bramnick told the New Jersey Globe.
Bramnick, a self-described moderate and one of New Jersey’s most outspoken Republican critics of President Donald Trump, has represented the district in the Legislature since 2003. He served as Assembly Minority Leader for a decade before winning a State Senate seat in 2021.
His brand of Republican politics has proved more successful in general elections than Republican primaries. In his unsuccessful 2025 campaign for governor, Bramnick finished third statewide with about 6% of the vote and lost his own legislative district to Jack Ciattarelli, who had Trump’s endorsement.
On Wednesday morning, Bramnick doubled down on his criticism of Trump after Republicans suffered massive defeats in Tuesday’s election.
“During the past decade I refused to endorse Donald Trump,” Bramnick said. “As Republican leader in the Assembly and as a candidate for governor, I urged my fellow New Jersey Republicans to reject Trumpism and return to our traditional New Jersey Republican values. The voters have spoken.”
“Trump does not represent traditional Republican values, and when we return to a party of civility and respect, we will begin to repair the damage,” he said.
Bramnick also challenged Republicans who have defended Trump despite the party’s electoral setbacks.
“To all the members of my party who have made excuse after excuse when we lost……Good luck spinning this outcome,” Bramnick said. “Let’s get back to our core Republican values and stand up to anyone in either party who engages in hateful speech. Let’s follow the model set by John McCain.”
Bramnick has already begun preparing for his re-election campaign, sending direct mail to district voters and holding town hall meetings in Westfield, Summit and Bernardsville.
But he also faces a potentially difficult general election in a district that has moved sharply toward Democrats.
Kamala Harris carried the 21st district in 2024, defeating Donald Trump, 55%-43%, even as Trump made substantial gains elsewhere in New Jersey.
Union County Commissioner Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, a three-term incumbent from Westfield, announced last month that she would seek the Democratic nomination for State Senate. Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy (D-Summit), a former state and federal prosecutor, is also considering a Senate bid and could challenge Palmieri-Mouded in the Democratic primary.
Democrats captured both Assembly seats in the 21st district last year, with Macurdy and Vincent Kearney (D-Garwood) ousting Republican incumbents Nancy Muñoz and Michele Matsikoudis. Gov. Mikie Sherrill carried the district by nearly 12,000 votes, winning 55% to 44%.
Bramnick, however, has demonstrated an ability to attract crossover voters. He won his first Senate race in 2021 by eight points and secured a second term in 2023 by seven points, even as the district continued moving toward Democrats.
The Republican primary will test whether Bramnick’s longstanding appeal to moderate and independent voters can overcome opposition from conservatives within his own party.
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