Sweeney wins Salem County Democratic convention in landslide

Former Senate President Steve Sweeney won the Salem County Democratic convention on Saturday, allowing him to use the organization slogan in the June 10 primary in his bid to follow term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy.

Sweeney defeated Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, 24-3 (83%-10%), with Rep. Mikie Sherrill finishing third with two votes (6%).

Three other candidates – Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer and New Jersey Education Association President and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller – opted not to take part in the convention.  The vote was by secret paper ballot.

From 2002 to 2022, Sweeney represented all of Salem County in the New Jersey State Senate.

“I am grateful to have the backing of the Salem County Democrats,” Sweeney stated.  “I have fought tough battles in my career for the hardworking men and women who call Salem home, including saving Salem’s nuclear plants and securing major investments from Trenton, and I promise to never take their support for granted. With Salem County standing with me, I know we can win this thing.”

Democrats nominated Woodstown Mayor Joe Hiles to run for Salem County Surrogate to replace the last-standing Democratic county official, Nikki Burke; Burke is retiring after twenty years as Surrogate.  Republicans have endorsed County Commissioner Mickey Ostrum for the post.

Hiles is a strong candidate: he ousted GOP Mayor Donald Dietrich in 2023 by a 54%-46% margin.

For County Commissioner, Democrats are running 25-year-old Isabella Goetz and former Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School Board President Nelson Carney, the longtime Salem County NAACP President.  Carney lost races for county commissioner in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.    They are expected to face Republican incumbents Cordy Taylor and Daniel Timmerman.  If Goetz wins, she would be the youngest and only woman on the five-member board.

Salem County has become solidly red since Democrats last controlled county government in 2018.  The county is roughly the size of Old Bridge.

Sweeney has already captured endorsements in Burlington, Atlantic, Cumberland, and Gloucester.   Sherrill has won contests in Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Sussex, Middlesex, and Morris, and Gottheimer has prevailed in conventions in Bergen and Warren.