Perry fundraiser nets massive $90k haul

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry raised over $90,000 on Wednesday night at a fundraiser to boost his bid for re-election in New Jersey’s 16th largest municipality and the hometown of Gov. Phil Murphy

The chairman of the event was former State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, Jr. (R-Middletown).  Perry had served as Kyrillos’ chief of staff from 2014 to 2018.

A 30-year-old rising star, Perry is seeking his second full term on the Township Committee.  He’s been mayor for the last three years, bucking a trend of rotating mayors.  In 2018, he defeated Democrat Tricia Maguire by a 54%-46% margin.

Democrats have picked Rocky Rios to take on Perry in the fall.

Middletown is a Republican stronghold, one of just three of the state’s 20 largest municipalities with a Republican mayor elected in partisan elections.  The others: Toms River, Old Bridge.

Amon the co-chairs of Perry’s fundraiser: former New Jersey Republican State Committee Executive Director Brian Nelson; Tom Scrivo, the former chief counsel to the Governor and a partner at O’Toole Scrivo; Republican insider Gail Gordon; IBEW Local 400, and Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 9.