Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) will head a slate of statewide at-large delegates to the Republican National Convention pledged to Donald Trump that has a heavy South Jersey presence and includes staunch allies of the three-term congressman.
The size of the state’s delegation is dramatically diminished this year, down from 49 to 9, after the RNC penalized New Jersey for violating a party rule that requires delegate selection to be completed by May 31; the New Jersey primary is June 4.
Van Drew’s chief of staff, Allison Murphy, his campaign manager, Ron Filan, and three Republican county chairs—Michael Donohue of Cape May, George Gilmore of Ocean, and Donald Purdy of Atlantic—are joining him on the at-large slate. State Sens. Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland), the Cumberland GOP chairman, and Douglas Steinhardt (R-Lopatcong), the Warren County Republican chairman, are also running statewide, along with Bergen County GOP State Committeewoman Darlene Shotmeyer and podcaster Michael Crispi.
It’s not immediately clear why Republicans have ten names on the ballot when the state’s allotment is nine delegates; Crispi is listed last.
The slate of alternate at-large delegates include: State Sen. Carmen Amato (R-Berkeley); Jessica Rohr, who served as Rep. Chris Smith’s campaign manager in 2022; Warren County GOP State Committeewoman Tia Steinhardt; Bergen County Republican Chairman Jack Zisa; Morris County Republican Chair Laura Marie Ali; Assemblyman Paul Kanita (R-Point Pleasant Beach); Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi; Theresa Velardi, the executive director of the Republican State Committee; and Cape May County Commissioner and GOP Vice Chair Melanie Collette. Collette is listed last on the petitions.
Petitions are also being circulated for district delegates, but it’s not clear if they can be on the ballot. The statutory deadline for Republicans to submit a delegate selection plan was March 1.
Still, votes for other offices won’t be affected by the delegate selection plan.
Van Drew chairs Trump’s campaign in New Jersey and made final calls on the selection of delegates.