Durr not optimistic about rapprochement with Sawyer

State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan) has had a good March, winning three party support in all three of his district’s counties and watching his Republican primary challenger, Salem County Commissioner Mickey Ostrum (R-Pilesgrove), drop out of the race. The same can’t be said for his estranged seatmate, Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer (R-Woolwich), who was aligned with Ostrum.

Now that Ostrum is no longer running, Sawyer could theoretically try to rejoin Durr’s slate. But Durr told the New Jersey Globe yesterday that he, Assemblywoman Bethanne McCarthy Patrick (R-Mannington), and Hopewell Township Committeeman Tom Tedesco are running full-steam ahead, and Sawyer isn’t a part of their plans.

“I don’t see [reuniting] as a possibility, given the fact that she has not reached out at all,” Durr said. “We’re going to be turning in petitions next week, and I think that would be an unjust thing to do to Thomas Tedesco, to ask him to step up and then boot him to the curb.”

Assuming she and Durr remain unreconciled, Sawyer has a number of other options. She could continue her off-the-line Assembly campaign; she could move up to the Senate race and challenge Durr directly, either in the Republican primary or as an independent in the general election; or she could drop out of the 3rd district race in preparation for future campaigns, such as for U.S. Senate in 2024.

When asked yesterday about her plans, Sawyer said she’d talk after next week’s filing deadline, by which point it will be clearer which path she intends to go down.

Whatever Sawyer chooses to do, Durr said he wishes her well – with one obvious exception.

“I wish the best for Assemblywoman Sawyer, whatever her endeavors, except if she chooses to run against me,” he said. “Of course, I want myself to win.”