DiMaio planning to enter race for Steinhardt’s Senate seat

Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio is preparing to run for the State Senate seat now held by Doug Steinhardt (R-Lopatcong), President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. Attorney.

“Should the time come when Doug moves to a different position, then I’m in,” DiMaio told the New Jersey Globe.  “The people of the 23rd district know me and my conservative values.”

Once Steinhardt resigns from the Senate – Trump has not formally announced his selection – Republican county committee members from the Hunterdon, Somerset, and Warren municipalities in the Northwest New Jersey district will meet within 35 days to pick his replacement.

Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench is also a possible Senate candidate, either at the special election convention, in the primary, or both.  Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-Franklin) has told party leaders he won’t run and expects to endorse DiMaio.

If DiMaio wins the Senate seat, it will trigger another vote to fill his Assembly seat.  That could happen later – or party leaders could follow the recent model used by Democrats in the 35th district and hold two elections on the same day, as long as DiMaio immediately stepped down.

Party leaders from all three counties, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, suggested an agreement that Somerset County Republicans, would get the Assembly seat if DiMaio replaces Steinhardt in the Senate. (There are no Somerset Republicans currently serving in the legislature, even though the county has the ninth-largest number of registered Republicans in the state.)

A DiMaio departure will also necessitate a leadership election for Assembly Republicans.

Possible candidates for minority leader include Christopher DePhillips (R-Wyckoff), Antwan McClellan (R-Ocean City), and Nancy Muñoz (R-Summit).  All three are currently part of DiMaio’s leadership team.  Bob Auth (R-Old Tappan) is also interested.

Minority Whip Brian Bergen (R-Denville), a conservative leader in the Assembly, told the New Jersey Globe he would not run for minority leader and planned to support DePhillips.

Muñoz appeared to have secured the votes for minority leader after the 2021 election when Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) was elected to the Senate, but her coalition quickly fell apart after pushback from conservative leaders.  DiMaio defeated Munoz, 19-15.