Bramnick eschews GOP conventions

Gubernatorial candidate Jon Bramnick won’t compete in Republican county conventions this year, leaving that lane almost exclusively to rival Jack Ciattarelli after two other contenders, Bill Spadea and Ed Durr, said they also would not participate in votes to award a county organization slogan.

“The decision to not compete in the county conventions across the state was not taken lightly. The work of the Republican County party leaders, county committee members and volunteers is an important part of the GOP,” said Bramnick, a two-term state senator from Union County.  “However, given the decision by other Republican candidates to not participate in the process, I believe the convention process will not accurately represent the true landscape of the primary this year.”

Without organization lines sometimes accompanied by preferential ballot positions – and with office block ballots that prevent statewide aspirants from bracketing with down-ballot  candidates beyond a common slogan, some gubernatorial contestants have rethought the time and money it takes to communicate with convention delegates.  On the Democratic side, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is skipping the conventions.

Two minor candidates, former Burlington City Mayor Jim Fazzone and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, technically remain in contention at conventions; Kranjac filed a letter of intent to compete in his home county of Bergen, while Fazzone did not.

“I still intend to speak with county committee members across the state as well as rank-and-file Republican voters to encourage them to engage in the primary process. In the 2021 gubernatorial primary less than 24% of registered Republicans cast a ballot,” stated Bramnick.  “My campaign is focused on building on the enthusiasm in the party to encourage more Republicans to participate in the primary this year.”

Bramnick’s running mates, Assemblywomen Nancy Munoz (R-Summit) and Michele Matsikoudis, will compete at the Union County GOP convention and will run on the organization slogan, a move that could have two lawmakers who have endorsed Bramnick using the same ballot slogan as another candidate, likely Ciattarelli.

Kean MacLelland, a spokesman for Munoz and Matsikoudis, said the clients “will use organizational slogans if awarded.”

This story was updated at 12:23 with comment from MacLelland.