The Cape May County GOP has endorsed Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman from the 15th District who narrowly lost to Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, in the race for governor.
The party also has endorsed a number of incumbents seeking reelection to state or county positions, including Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan of the 1st District, Cape May County County Clerk Rita Rothberg and County Commissioners Andy Bulakowski and Bobby Barr.
The endorsements came at the party’s annual convention Feb. 5 at the entertainment complex of County Commons in Rio Grande.
County GOP Chairman Michael Donohue praised the candidates endorsed at the convention, calling the collective group “a tremendously strong ticket,” and said he was happy with the turnout of county Republicans at the convention.
But Donohue had harsh words for the gubernatorial candidates who opted to skip the event; only Ciattarelli attended. With the county line ballot format no longer an attraction for candidates to the county party organizations, many have elected to take their cases directly to voters rather than to the county party apparatus.
“What these candidates are saying by snubbing the county conventions is that not only do they want to do away with the line, they want to do away with the Republican Party itself,” he said.
The drumbeat for Ciattarelli was loud at the convention, but one local politician, Wildwood Crest Deputy Mayor Joseph Franco Jr., endorsed former radio and television host Bill Spadea for the state’s top job.
Murphy is barred by term limits from seeking reelection, and a wide-open field of candidates from both parties are running for the post.
In the 1st Assembly District, the only Democrat who has so far declared is West Cape May Mayor Carol Sabo. The two Republican incumbents are currently running unopposed in the June 10 primary election.
There is still time for other candidates to emerge, with a March 24 deadline for petition-filing for the primary. Candidates this year must meet a higher threshold for nominating signatures on petitions due to a recent change in state law. In many cases the number of signatures required was increased by as much as 150%.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
