Four GOP county chairs side with Purdy against Vigilante, Crone

Four Republican county chairmen are taking sides in a contested primary for State Senate and Assembly in the 4th district, backing a slate supported by Atlantic County GOP Chairman Don Purdy over one with endorsements from county chairs in Camden and Gloucester, where 93% of the primary voters live.

Sean Earlen of Burlington, Michael Donohue of Cape May, State Sen. Michael Testa of Cumberland, and Shaun Golden of Monmouth have endorsed Christopher DelBorrello for State Senate and Matt Walker and Amanda Esposito for Assembly.

Esposito, a Pitman middle school teacher, entered the race today as a replacement for Lisa Rayca  The Sewell woman became an Assembly candidate on Friday night, won the Atlantic County GOP convention on Saturday, and dropped out on Sunday.

“As a public school teacher, I see firsthand what is happening in our schools and am eager to be a voice for parents, students, and teachers who want our classrooms to be focused on preparing our students for the future, not being on the front lines of extreme, far-left culture wars, Esposito stated.

A businessman and former Washington Township councilman, DelBorrello faces Gloucester County Commissioner Nicholas DeSilvio in the Republican Senate primary.  DeSilvio has the organization lines in Gloucester and Camden counties.

Esposito and former Buena Council President Matt Walker are running for Assembly on DelBorrello’s ticket; they face DeSilvio’s running mates: Michael Clark, a 24-year-old businessman and athletic director of the Solid Rock Christian School, and Denise Gonzalez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a member of IBEW Local 351.

“I am excited and honored to lead this ticket,” said DelBorrello.  “During my time on Washington Township Council, we reduced local taxes, saved millions for local employees and taxpayers through health benefits changes, and made our open space program more efficient.”

DelBorrello, Walker, and Esposito also have the backing of  State Sens. Vincent Polistina and Jean Stanfield, Assemblymen Don Guardian, Antwan McClellan, Erik Simonsen, Michael Torrissi, Jr. and Brandon Umba, and Assemblywoman Claire Swift.

“I am eager to bring my combination of local government experience, military experience, and experience as a full-time instructor for the Operating Engineers Local 825 training school in New Jersey to the State Assembly,” said Walker, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Deacon at the Bethel Church in Blackwood.  “Our ticket represents a Republican Party that is guided by conservative principles that can and will appeal to people of all ages, colors, and creeds.  Make no mistake, we are the South Jersey Democrats’ worst nightmare.”

The winners of the DeSilvio vs. DelBorrello primary are expected to face Paul Moriarty, a nine-term assemblyman, for the open Senate seat Democrat Fred Madden is giving up after 20 years.

In the Assembly race, Democrats are running Gloucester Township Councilman Dan Hutchison and Monroe school board member Cody Miller.