Scutari will again face Michelson in bid to hold 22nd district Senate seat

Senate President Nicholas Scutari will face a rematch against Republican William Michelson in the 22nd legislative district this fall.

Union County Republicans picked Michelson, an attorney, urban planner, and the Plainfield GOP municipal chairman, to take on Scutari, the second most—powerful elected official in the state

“I entered this race because I saw a lack of political leadership and economic opportunity in this district, and a refusal of the Democrat-controlled Legislature to make urgent reforms in crucial fields such as school choice and tax reform,” Michaelson said.   “I believe I can do better.”

Scutari defeated Michelson by 11,944 votes, 61.5% to 38.5%, in 2021.

“As Senate President, Scutari has failed to improve upon the lives of his constituents and only used his position to benefit his donors and political allies, at the expense of his constituents.  He never votes no on any bill placed before him, whether good or bad,”

It’s been nearly two years since a sitting Senate President lost re-election in his own district; before Edward Durr upset Steve Sweeney in 2021, that had not happened in over a century.

A former Linden school board member and Union County freeholder, Scutari first won the Senate seat in 2003 and has held it with little difficulty in five re-election bids.

Linden Republican municipal chair Lisa Fabrizio and Patricia Quattrocchi, a Clark resident who served as mayor of Garwood from 2011 to 2014, will take on the 22nd district’s two Assembly incumbents, James Kennedy (D-Rahway) and Linda Carter (D-Plainfield).

Fabrizio is a social worker, and Quattrocchi is an employment counselor and longtime local government watchdog.

Quattrocchi said Kennedy and Carter “vote the party line and do nothing in Trenton to change anything or help their constituents.”

“I will always put the needs of the people of this district above my personal and political considerations,” she said.

This is Michelson’s third bid for the New Jersey Legislature.   He ran for the State Assembly in 2015 but finished more than 4,000 votes behind the Democratic incumbents Jerry Green (D-Plainfield) and Kennedy.

Quattrocchi has made several bids for public office.  She unseated Garwood Mayor Dennis McCarthy by 62 votes, 52%-48%, in 2010, but lost races for Union County freeholder in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2016, and 2018.   Quattrocchi challenged Kennedy and Carter in 2019 but lost by roughly 9,000 votes.