Eleven candidates for governor – six Democrats and five Republicans – submitted nominating petitions to run in the June 10 primaries by the March 24 filing deadline.
In Cape May County there are five candidates running for two Assembly seats, with Democrats outnumbering the two Republican incumbents for the first time in recent memory.
In races for county positions and in seven municipalities with local primaries, there are no contested primaries with the exception of a two-person race for the Republican nod for mayor in North Wildwood. No Democrats filed for the election in the seven towns.
Governor
The Democratic hopefuls are former Senate President Steve Sweeney, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, 11th Congressional District Rep. Mikie Sherrill, 5th Congressional District Rep. Josh Gottheimer and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller.
Former State Sen. Ed Durr did not file a petition even though he had actively campaigned up to the deadline and participated in some of the debates. Durr famously defeated Sweeney to win a state Senate seat and then lost his bid for reelection.
The Republican field consists of former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, making his third attempt at the position; state Sen. Jon Bramnick of Union County, former Englewood Mayor Mario Kranjac, former talk show host Bill Spadea and Justin Barbera of Burlington County, who unsuccessfully ran for the 3rd Congressional District seat in 2024.
In 2017, when Phil Murphy won the office, six Democrats and five Republicans challenged for the governorship.
General Assembly
All 80 seats in the Assembly are on the ballot. In the 1st Legislative District, which includes all of Cape May County, Republican incumbents Erik Simonsen, a former Lower Township mayor, and Antwan McClellan, a former Ocean City council member, are unopposed. They have filed a joint petition and are running as endorsed CapeGOP candidates.
The Democrats will have three candidates competing for two slots on the ballot. Carolyn Rush, who was a plaintiff along with Andy Kim in the litigation that appears to have ended New Jersey’s controversial county line ballot system, is running as part of gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop’s slate of candidates.
Joining Rush on the Fulop-endorsed slate is Brandon Safford, former member of the Coast Guard and current student at Princeton University.
Also running for a Democratic nomination is West Cape May Mayor Carol Sabo, who has opted not to seek reelection as mayor. She has been a member of the borough’s governing body since 2013.
Besides Cape May County, the 1st District encompasses much of Cumberland County and a small portion of Atlantic County. Since 2020 the district has been reliably Republican, with the district’s Senate seat held by Vineland attorney Michael Testa.
County Offices
Two county offices are on the ballot; no Democrats are running.
Cape May County Commissioners Andrew Bulakowski and Robert “Bobby” Barr are seeking reelection and are running in the Republican primary unopposed, having been endorsed by CapeGOP.
County clerk Rita (Fulginiti) Rothberg is seeking another five-year term. She is unopposed for the Republican nomination and has been endorsed by CapeGOP. Rothberg was first elected county clerk in 2005.
Local Governing Body Seats
Seven of the 16 municipalities in Cape May County have offices on the ballot. In all but one, Republican candidates are seeking party nominations unopposed. No Democrats are running.
In Dennis Township, Mayor Zeth Matalucci and Committeeman Matthew Cox are seeking reelection. They enter the primaries with the endorsement of CapeGOP.
Lower Township has Ward 2 council member Joseph Wareham running for a one-year unexpired term. Wareham was appointed in January to an open seat with a term that expires at the end of 2026. He has the endorsement of CapeGOP.
Middle Township committee member James Norris will be seeking reelection in November to another three-year term. Norris, who has been endorsed by CapeGOP, will be running for his third term on the committee.
In North Wildwood there is a contest for mayor; the surprise is that the contest does not involve Patrick Rosenello, who has been mayor since 2014. Rosenello issued a statement saying it was time to “embrace a new chapter.”
The contest for the Republican nomination for mayor will be between council President Salvatore Zampirri and Edward Heuser. Zampirri has the endorsement of CapeGOP.
Rosenello, saying he wants to stay involved in public service, has filed a petition for a City Council at-large seat that has two years left on its term. Council member Peggy Bishop will seek reelection to the First Ward seat, with newcomer Cheryl Crowe as a candidate for the Second Ward seat. Both candidates are unopposed in the primary and both carry the endorsement of CapeGOP.
In Stone Harbor, the terms of Republican council incumbents Victor Foschini and Jennifer Gensemer end this year; neither filed a petition for the primary. Incumbent Kenneth Biddick, who was appointed to the vacant council seat of Tim Carney when Carney was elected mayor, will be running with the CapeGOP endorsement for one more year on Carney’s unexpired term. CapeGOP has also endorsed Frank Vaul and Robert Ross for the Foschini and Gensemer seats.
Upper Township has two incumbent Republicans running unopposed for reelection to the Township Committee with the endorsement of CapeGOP. They are Tyler C. Casaccio and Victor Nappen II.
In Woodbine two incumbent council members are seeking reelection and running in the Republican primary unopposed. They are Mary Ellen Perez and Eduardo Ortis. The two filed a joint petition, and both have the CapeGOP endorsement.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
