21 Republican mayors have endorsed Melissa Florance-Lynch for an open seat on the Board of Commissioners.
Florance-Lynch, a Pequannock councilwoman, is seeking the seat of Kathy DeFilippo, who announced last month that she would not seek re-election to a third term. She is teaming up with incumbents Douglas Cabana and Tom Mastrangelo.
“My running mates and I are humbled by the overwhelming support from the coalition of Morris County Republican Mayors,” said Cabana.
Endorsing Florance-Lynch are Mayors Paul Allieri (Boonton Township), Ryan Martinez (Butler), Tom Andes (Denville), Mark Taylor (Florham Park), John Ferramosca (Hanover), Eric Wilsusen (Jefferson), Jim Freda (Kinnelon)., David Runfeldt (Lincoln Park), Guy Piserchia (Long Hill), Christine Serrano-Glassner (Mendham Borough), Sam Morris (Mine Hill), Frank Cooney (Montville), Mike Sanzillis (Mount Arlington), Rob Greenbaum (Mount Olive), Joe Nametko (Netcong) , Jamie Barbiero (Parsippany), Kyle Russell (Pequannock), Paul Carelli (Riverdale), Tom Mulligan (Rockaway), Bob DeFillippo (Roxbury) and Bill Chegwidden (Wharton).
“Morris County Republican Mayors are a big part of the governing formula which makes Morris County a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Mastrangelo.
Florance-Lynch ran for freeholder in February 2020 special election convention to replace Heather Darling, who was elected surrogate.
Tayfun Selen defeated Bruce Meringolo in the runoff, beating the former Long Hill committeeman 198 to 171 in that race, with Florance-Lynch finishing third with 70 votes. Former Morristown Councilwoman Allison Deeb came in last with 25 votes. Former Madison councilman Rob Catalanello and Parsippany GOP county committeeman Thomas J. DeLorenzo previously announced bids for Darling’s seat but dropped those bids before the convention.
In her 2020 race, Florance-Lynch had the backing of Cabana and DeFilippo.
Cabana is seeking his 10th term and Mastrangelo is running for his 5th term.
A former mayor of Boonton Township, Cabana ran for freeholder in 1997 when Sue Ostergaard resigned to take a job at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He defeated Randolph mayor Tyrone Barnes 246-153 in a special election convention. The previous year, Cabana lost a convention vote for freeholder by two votes to John Fox.
Cabana ran on a ticket with Morris Township mayor John Murphy and former freeholder Cecilia Laureys in a race against incumbent freeholders Chris Christie and John O’Keeffe. Murphy ran 6,753 votes ahead of Christie in a race that briefly stunted the future governor’s political career. Cabana beat Christie’s running mate, former Morris Township mayor Barbara Harris, by 3,524 votes after a bitter battle.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
January 29, 2020 -
March 21, 2020 -
April 24, 2017