Atlantic Dems tap commissioner candidates

A trio of Democrats launched their candidacies for the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners on Monday as the county party seeks to flip three commissioner seats come November.

Two candidates — small business owner Jonathan Marcellus and Atlantic City Planning Board member Kyle Gornick — will seek at-large commissioner seats, while human resources specialist Richard Healey will run in Atlantic County’s 3rd commissioner district. Republicans hold all three seats: John Risley Jr. and June Byrnes in the at-large seats and Andrew Parker III in the 3rd district.

“I’m running for Atlantic County Commissioner because this community gave me a chance, and I want to return that investment by expanding opportunity for others,” Marcellus said in a release. “My goal is to help build an Atlantic County where hard work is rewarded and every resident has a real path forward.”

The three launch their candidacy with the backing of the county party’s Candidate Recruitment Committee and are unopposed in seeking the party’s endorsement at next month’s convention.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s nearly 4-point victory in Atlantic County last fall has Democrats hopeful that another strong year could allow for flips. Of the Republican incumbents, Byrne has filed for re-election.

Democrats nearly flipped an at-large commissioner seat last fall. Victoria Dolceamore came within 271 votes — less than a third of a percentage point — of defeating Republican Art Schenker, but the latter held on to preserve the GOP’s 8-1 grip on the commission.

Marcellus, a Haitian immigrant and U.S. citizen, ran for the commission last year but fell about 4 points short in the 4th district, which favors Republicans. Gornick works as a policy specialist at the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Healey’s career spanned higher education and senior human resources leadership roles. The 3rd Commissioner District, where Healey will be running, includes parts of Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton.