Former Summit GOP Municipal Chairman Steve Spurr is expected to seek the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 21st district, taking on incumbents Nancy Muñoz (R-Summit) and Michele Matsikoudis in the primary.
“Legislators, including 15-year incumbent Assemblywoman Muñoz, will need to make their case and earn the right to represent Republicans on the ballot again in 2025,” Spurr said.
Spurr, 37, is a former chairman of the Summit Zoning Board and chair of the Summit Housing Authority.
He ran for an open Assembly seat in 2021 but lost to Matsikoudis on the second ballot at the Union County GOP convention. This time, he will run in a primary that is expected to have no county lines that offer organization-backed candidates a preferential ballot position.
Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield), re-elected to a second term in Congress last week, endorsed the two incumbents this morning.
“Both Nancy and Michele are strong leaders who stand up for common-sense conservative principles and fight for the priorities of the district,” Kean said. “They are dedicated to their roles and provide outstanding constituent services, which makes them the right choice to continue to represent our community in Trenton.”
Another potential candidate, Bernards Mayor Jennifer Asay, said she would not seek the 21st district and indicated that she would back the incumbents.
“I have never expressed interest in pursuing any role beyond serving my local municipality,” Asay told the New Jersey Globe. “I hold Assemblywomen Muñoz and Matsikoudis in the highest regard. It is an honor to work with them, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration.”
Asay’s name was put into the mix by a member of Somerset County Republican Chair Tracy DiFrancesco’s team.
Earlier this week, Andrew Macurdy, a former state and federal prosecutor who worked for two New Jersey attorneys general, announced his bid for the Democratic nomination against Muñoz and Matsikoudis.
Kamala Harris carried the 21st over Donald Trump by more than 17,000 votes and about fourteen percentage points this month.