Brian Rumpf (R-Little Egg Harbor) and Greg Myhre (R-Stafford) said today that they will seek re-election next year to their State Assembly seats in the Ocean County-based 9th district. With party support in a staunchly Republican district, they are prohibitive favorites to win.
“Our record is reflective of our constituents’ priorities: more property tax relief, reducing utility costs, reforming the state’s politicized school funding formula, protecting the autonomy of senior communities from Trenton interference, opposing sanctuary state policies, and rejecting identity politics,” Rumpf and Myhre said in a joint statement. “To promote conservative values, we are unapologetically pro-life, pro-parental rights, pro-Second Amendment, pro-police and pro-election integrity.”
Rumpf has been an assemblyman since 2003, and Myhre was elected last year after he defeated longtime incumbent DiAnne Gove (R-Long Beach) at the Ocean GOP convention.
Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore and State Sen. Carmen Amato (R-Berkeley) support the two lawmakers.
“Rumpf has proven he has command of the issues while working tirelessly for his constituents,” Gilmore said. “He’s been at the forefront of the fights to reform the state’s failed school funding formula and to reduce electricity costs.”
Gilmore said that Myhre “has established himself as a conservative leader in the State Legislature.”
“As a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, he has delivered on his promise to be an outspoken voice for fiscal integrity, knowing that his constituents cannot afford Trenton’s reckless and failed economic policies,” he said. “Greg has fought for common sense policies that include repealing New Jersey’s sanctuary state status, rejecting State mandates on what car you can buy, and demanding that home health aides who care for our most vulnerable be able to speak English.”
Amato also praised his two running mates.
“Together with Brian and Greg, our legislative delegation has hit the ground running to provide effective constituent services, including assistance with ANCHOR issues, Senior Freeze applications, E-ZPass problems, and veterans benefits while being responsive to thousands of constituent policy inquiries,” Amato stated.
The 9th district, which includes Long Beach Island, gave Donald Trump a 42,255-vote plurality and a 29-point win over Kamala Harris in November; Republican Jack Ciattarelli won the 9th by 36 points against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021.
So far, one Democrat has entered the race: Rosalee Keech, a former Montville Democratic municipal chair who monitors the United Nations for the national League of Women Voters, will seek her party’s nomination on a ticket allied with Jersey City Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop.
Rumpf had served as mayor of Little Egg Harbor for three years before winning 2003 special election convention after Jeff Moran resigned to become Ocean County Surrogate. Myhre was elected mayor of Stafford in 2018 after ousting incumbent John Spodofora in the GOP primary.