Bucco's Replacement Set To Be Picked This Week

MENDHAM, NJ — Morris County Republicans will gather this week to select now-Sen. Anthony M. Bucco's replacement in the Assembly.

The convention will be held this Thursday at the County College of Morris, in Randolph. Because space is limited, only committee embers from the 25th district, candidates for the seat, elected officials from the district, or people with a entrance pass will be permitted to attend.

Six Republicans are vying to be appointed to the Assembly in the 25th District (read more about them below). That person will hold the seat until a special election can be held in Nov. 2020. They will join Assemblyman-elect Brian Bergen in Trenton.

The race for Assembly in the 25th District was an unusual one this year. Sen. Anthony M. Bucco vacated his Assembly seat in October when he was appointed to the Senate to fill the seat previously held by his late father. That put him in the position of running for an Assembly seat he did not intend to fill.

Had Bucco lost the election, Republicans still would have needed to select a replacement; they would have then served until the Assemblyperson-elect was sworn into office in January 2020.

The six candidates running are:

John Barbarula, Randolph: Barbarula is a lawyer and business owner who has lived in the district for 25 years. Read more about him here.

Alison Deeb, Morristown: Deeb served as a councilwoman in Morristown for 12 years, and has over 25 years of private sector experience. Read more about her here.

Aura Dunn, Mendham Borough: Dunn has worked as a policy advisor and budget analyst for committees on the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and has extensive volunteer experience. Read more about her here.

Sarah Neibart, Mendham Township: Neibart is the current deputy mayor of Mendham Township, and previously worked in several high-profile Republican campaigns. Read more about her here.

Bob Olejar, Randolph: Olejar is a lawyer and forensic accountant, and has worked as an assistant prosecutor in Bergen County. Read more about him here.

Al Ribeiro, Bernardsville: Ribeiro works in the biopharmaceutical center in cancer treatment, and has worked on Republican campaigns across the country. Read more about him here.