Carlos Santos defeated ten-year incumbent Glenn Mortimer tonight to become the new Union County Republican chair.
Santos won 242-145 with 62.5% of the vote.
A strong Trump supporter and former union ironworker, Santos became frustrated by the lack of party support in his uphill bids for county commissioner and worked to fill vacant county committee seats in heavily Democratic parts of Union County.
Mortimer, the county chairman since 2014, had the support of Rep. Thomas Kean (R-Westfield), State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), Assemblywomen Michele Matsikoudis (R-New Providence) and Nancy Munoz (R-Summit), and eight GOP municipal chairs. Santos had been getting help from supporters of other gubernatorial candidates who believe Bramnick will win the organization slogan in his campaign for governor.
Santos had the backing of municipal chairs in Springfield, Plainfield, Winfield Park, Roselle Park, Elizabeth, Union, Linden, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Garwood, Roselle, Hillside, and Clark, where Mayor Sal Bonnacorso is chair.
Republicans have not won a countywide election in Union County since 1995.