Three Republican county leaders face challenges next week in their bids for re-election.
Gloucester County GOP Chair Jacci Vigilante faces former Harrison Township Committeeman Adam Wingate in a battle for control of a county Republican organization that has been deeply divided since a tough primary last year.
In Union County, Carlos Santos, a strong Trump supporter and former union ironworker, is taking on Union County Republican Chairman Glenn Mortimer. Santos, who became frustrated by the lack of party support in his uphill bids for county commissioner, worked to fill vacant county committee seats in heavily Democratic parts of Union County.
Somerset County GOP Chairman Tim Howes is being challenged by Watchung Republican Municipal Chair Tracy DiFrancesco, the daughter of former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco.
Gloucester and Union are set for Monday night and Somerset is on Tuesday.
On June 23, former Rep. Tom Malinowski faces off against Democratic State Committeewoman Karen Becker in a race for Hunterdon County Democratic chair. The incumbent, Arlene Quinonez-Perez, is not seeking re-election.
Republicans in Gloucester scored upset wins in 2021, electing a sheriff and two county commissioners, and made a strong play for control of county government in 2022; Wingate was a county commissioner candidate that year and came within 2,504 votes of winning.
An internal dispute over the selection of Senate and Assembly candidates in the 4th district in 2023 – and a primary challenge to State Sen Edward Durr (R-Logan) in the 3rd district – led to a bitter primary fight. Former Washington Township Councilman Christopher Del Borrello, who had the organization line in Camden and Atlantic, defeated Gloucester County Commissioner Nick DeSilvio in the GOP Senate primary; off-the-line candidates for surrogate and county commissioner bested Vigilante’s slate, but lost the general election.
Mortimer, the county chairman since 2014, has the support of Rep. Thomas Kean (R-Westfield), State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis (R-New Providence) and Nancy Munoz (R-Summit), and eight GOP municipal chairs. Santos has been getting help from supporters of other gubernatorial candidates who believe Bramnick will win the organization slogan in his campaign for governor.
Following their bylaws, the Union GOP announced on Wednesday that the convention would be the following Monday, but some municipal party leaders backing Mortimer were given advance knowledge of the date.
Howes has been battling DiFrancesco for months and added dozens of new county committee members who ran on the line and won. He announced this week that Bridgewater Republican Municipal Chair Megan Moench, a political fundraiser and sister of the mayor, and Bedminster GOP Chairman Steve Parker, would run on his ticket for vice chair posts.