5 running for 2 commissioner seats

SUSSEX COUNTY. Chris Carney and Alan Henderson are running on a slate in the Republican primary as are Robert Kovic and Harvey Roseff, while newly appointed Commissioner Earl Schick III aims to keep his seat.

Newton /
| 25 Mar 2024 | 08:17

Five Republicans have filed to run for two seats on the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners in the June 4 primary.

The filing deadline was 4 p.m. Monday, March 25.

Chris Carney, deputy director of the board, and Alan Henderson, former mayor of Lafayette, are running on a slate as are Robert Kovic and Harvey Roseff. Kovic is the former executive director of the Sussex County Republican Committee, and Roseff is serving his fourth term on the Byram Township Council.

Also running is Earl Schick III, who was appointed to the board last month to fill the seat of Dawn Fantasia. She resigned to become a member of the state Assembly.

Schick was chosen by county Republican Committee members over Henderson, who was nominated for the job by Carney at the Feb. 3 party meeting.

No Democrats filed to run for the commissioners board; its five members currently are Republicans.

U.S. Senate races

Peter Vallorosi of Newton filed to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Robert Menendez, D-N.J., in the GOP primary.

He will face businessman Curtis Bashaw, Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, Michael Estrada, Albert Harshaw and Justin Murphy. Former TV reporter Alex Zdan recently ended his candidacy.

Vallorosi ran against then-Rep. Scott Garrett, R-5, in the 2016 Republican primary.

In the Democratic primary race, New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy on Sunday, May 24 suspended her campaign, leaving Rep. Andy Kim, D-3, as the leading contender.

Menendez, who faces federal corruption charges, last week said he would not run in the primary but did not rule out seeking re-election as an independent.

Also running in the Democratic primary are Patricia Campos Medina, Lawrence Hamm, Kevin Cupples and Patrick Merrill.

Murphy, a first-time candidate, was running with the backing of influential Democratic figures. Kim has centered his campaign in part on upending the state’s unique ballot design, widely viewed as favoring candidates preferred by county party insiders.

He won several county committee votes, including in Sussex County.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.