Two Morris freeholders bounced in hot GOP primary

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Morris County Freeholders John Krickus and David Scapicchio won’t be coming back next year.

morris county seal logoThey got the boot in a rough-and-tumble GOP primary that saw their running mate, Denville Councilwoman Deborah Smith, emerge as top vote-getter.

Incumbent John Cesaro and running mate Christine Myers landed the other two spots, with Myers outpolling Cesaro.

Cesaro’s other running mate, Angelo Tedesco, finished out of the money, as did maverick Thomas Mulligan.

With no Democrats on the ballot, Smith, Myers and Cesaro essentially are assured of victory in November.

UPDATE: Three Democrats — Brendan Keating (Chatham Borough), Webster Lewin (Chatham Township) and Richard Escobar (Mount Olive) — waged write-in campaigns promoted by the county Democratic organization.

As of Wednesday morning, county election officials were reviewing the results to determine if the candidates will appear on the November ballot. A total of 1,078 write-in votes  were tallied in the Democratic primary for freeholder. 

Morris Republican Chairman John Sette, state Sen. Anthony Bucco and his son, state Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (both R-25th Dist.), had endorsed the “Morris Conservative Team” of Krickus-Scapicchio-Smith, questioning contributions to Cesaro’s “Morris First” ticket from unions and other groups usually linked to Democrats.

Cesaro’s slate was endorsed by state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-26th Dist.) and Morris Sheriff Ed Rochford, who has battled with the freeholders over salaries and benefits for his staff.

Three years ago, Cesaro (Parsippany), Krickus (Washington Township) and Scapicchio (Mount Olive) ran together as a team.

Here are Tuesday’s unofficial vote tallies, from the Morris County Clerk’s Office:

✓ Deborah Smith — 10,012
✓ Christine Myers — 9,435
✓ *John Cesaro — 9,381
*John Krickus — 9,175
*David Scapicchio — 9,081
Angelo Tedesco Jr. — 8,722
Thomas Mulligan — 4,066

*Incumbents

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