Governor’s race: No winner in Ocean County

Ocean County Democratic will not take sides in the gubernatorial primary after none of the candidates secured a majority of votes on the first ballot at today’s convention.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill led former Senate President Steve Sweeney 63-31, followed by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (26), Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop (23), and New Jersey Education Association President and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller (21).

Fulop was not on the ballot and received write-in votes.  Rep. Josh Gottheimer did not compete in Ocean.

This leaves county- endorsed legislative, county and municipal candidates in New Jersey’s most staunchly Republican counties without anyone running for governor using their slogan in the June 10 Democratic primary.

“Ocean County is one of the reddest in the state, and Democrats here know the importance of building coalitions to win tough races,” Sherrill said.  “We are showing up everywhere to share our vision, no matter the odds, because fighting for our future is simply too important — and I have always run toward the fight.”

Ocean County has 95,235 registered Democrats – which ranks twelfth among New Jersey’s 21 counties.  To put this into perspective, Ocean has roughly 6,300 more Democrats that Somerset, about 13,000 more than Gloucester, and nearly 28,000 more than Atlantic.

Sherrill has won conventions in Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth and Sussex, while Sweeney won Burlington and Atlantic.