“This is the year”: Morristown’s Chris Russo makes case for Morris County commissioner run

By Kristen Neymarc

With an upbeat, crowd-friendly appeal, Morristown Council Vice President Chris Russo on Sunday asked Morris County Democrats to support his bid to break the GOP’s half-century lock on county government as a candidate for commissioner.

“A Democrat hasn’t won in 53 years,” Russo told the party convention at the County College of Morris in Randolph. “But I genuinely believe this is the year. Not because of me, because of all of us.”

Organized by the Morris County Democratic Committee, the convention brought together voting members including municipal chairs, elected officials and party leadership to hear from candidates seeking organizational backing ahead of the June 2, 2026, primary. 

Analilia Mejia, party nominee in a special 11th District congressional race, gave a rousing speech, and five candidates seeking an endorsement in the 7th District race also took the stage.

Although Republicans have long held sway across the county, Russo in particular has cause for optimism.

His friend and former Morristown planning board colleague Marisa Sweeney last November became the first Democrat in almost 50 years to win a state Assembly seat in District 25.

Russo emphasized deep local roots in introducing himself to delegates from across the county. He moved to the area in 1984, grew up in Cedar Knolls and attended Whippany Park High School before graduating from Gettysburg College, where he competed in track and field. He later lived in Morris Plains and now resides in downtown Morristown.

He is more than halfway through his first four-year term representing Morristown’s Fourth Ward. As council vice president, he has been involved in municipal policy discussions on redevelopment, public safety, budgeting and downtown economic activity.

Outside elected office, Russo works in pharmaceutical sales in the dermatology sector at Novartis and co-owns a business that organizes half marathons and 10K races. 

Russo already has a track record as a strong local fundraiser. In his successful 2023 bid for Morristown council, he posted eye-catching totals for a municipal race, giving him an early reputation as a candidate who could organize and attract support.

He credited Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty with encouraging him to enter public service and thanked fellow local officials, including Council President Steven Pylypchuk and Councilman and Morristown Democratic chairman Nathan Umbriac, drawing warm applause in the Dragonetti Auditorium.

Russo’s comments focused heavily on collaboration, urging party members to see the county race as a shared effort rather than an individual campaign.

“I’m the least important part,” he said. “It’s going to be all of us working together.”

‘BE BRAVE’

Mejia, running against Republican Joe Hathaway in a special April 16 election for Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s former 11th District congressional seat, got a standing ovation after her brief remarks.

“I just ask us to be brave. I ask us to be bold. I ask us to be honest. I ask us to do the work. I ask us to be the incredible leaders that our future generations depend on,” Mejia concluded.

The convention also heard pitches from five Democrats — Rebecca Bennett, Megan O’Rourke, Dr. Tina Shah, Brian Varela and Michael Roth —  vying to unseat Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in the 7th Congressional District. The district’s dozen Morris municipalities include Roxbury, which is fighting an ICE detention center proposed by the Trump administration.

Morris Democrats will cast electronic ballots ranking their top choices for the organization’s endorsement in that congressional race. Results are anticipated on Monday afternoon, said Morris Democratic Chair Darcy Draeger.

Kevin Coughlin contributed to this report.