Monmouth County Democratic Chairman David G. Brown II will not seek re-election this summer, with Dyese Davis, the chief of staff to State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), emerging as the leading candidate to replace him.
Brown was elected county chairman in early 2017 when Gopal gave up the post to focus on his bid to unseat State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) in the 11th legislative district.
Davis will have the backing of Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch), along with Gopal and Assemblywomen Margie Donlon (D-Ocean Township) and Luanne Peterpaul (D-Long Branch).
If she wins, Davis, a seasoned political veteran, would become the first Black woman to serve as a county chair since Verlina Reynolds Jackson (D-Trenton) resigned as Mercer Democratic chair after winning a special election convention for State Assembly in 2018.
Davis additionally serves as chief of staff to Donlon and Peterpaul, and is the vice chair of the Neptune Planning Board and a Brookdale Community trustee.
Deana Gunn, a political organizer for the New Jersey State Laborers PAC, will run for vice chair on a slate with Davis. She is the Matawan Democratic municipal chair.
Brown is the fourth county chair so far this year to make a retirement announcement; Bergen County GOP Chairman Jack Zisa, Burlington County Democratic Chairman Joseph Andl, and Hunterdon County Democratic Chair Arlene Quinones Perez are also not seeking re-election.