Former Senate President Steve Sweeney was elected Gloucester County Democratic chairman on Saturday morning, putting him in the top party post of a politically competitive county.
Sweeney recently became the Gloucester County Administrator. In both positions, he replaced a close ally, Chad Bruner, who recently retired after a long career in government.
Gloucester County has been under Democratic control since 1980, but recent elections have been competitive. Democrats have a 5-2 majority in county government.
Sweeney served as a Gloucester County Freeholder and Freeholder Director before his election to the State Senate in 2001. He is the longest-serving legislative leader in state history.
He takes on the new post in a new era of New Jersey politics that requires party chairs to win primaries without the benefit of county organization lines.