There Are Now More Registered Republicans Than Dems In Monmouth

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — For the first time in several years, there are now more registered Republican voters in Monmouth County than registered Democrats.

The is according to the most recent voter registrant information provided by the New Jersey Division of Elections:

As of July 1, there are 491,689 total registered voters in Monmouth County:

• The majority are unaffiliated: 195,812
• Registered Republican: 145,454
• Registered Democrat: 144,416

In the 2020 election, Donald Trump won Monmouth County but only by a slim majority: Trump won Monmouth by just over 10,000 votes, 191,808 votes compared to 181,291 for Biden.

Monmouth County political experts attributed that to how divisive Trump is, even within Republican circles.

"If you think of the areas where the president faced challenges, it's the centrist suburbanites. And there are a lot of those in Monmouth County," said state Sen. Declan O'Scanlon (R) at the time. "These are sophisticated voters. The president is outspoken. It works for a lot of people. But a lot of others — think of all the John McCain fans — they are going to be less enthusiastic. Many core Republican voters were less enthusiastic for Trump this year."

Republicans usually win presidential races in Monmouth County:

• 2016: Trump won Monmouth, with 166,723 votes, and 137,181 for Hillary Clinton
• 2012: Mitt Romney beat Barack Obama in Monmouth, 147,513 votes to 133,145
• 2008: John McCain beat Obama in Monmouth, 160,433 votes to 148,737

When he sought re-election, Trump also lost several Monmouth County towns that he won in 2016: Towns like Matawan, Highlands, Little Silver, Marlboro, Neptune and Shrewsbury all voted for Trump in 2016, but they all went for Biden instead, according to the Asbury Park Press last fall.

The Monmouth County Republican Party issued a press release this week praising the numbers.

“We have witnessed resounding Republican victories at the county level for several years, but our Republican registrations have lagged behind,” said Monmouth County Republican Chair Shaun Golden (who is also the Monmouth County Sheriff). “Now, for the first time in over a decade, the number of registered Republicans has surpassed that of the Democrats. We are excited that our years of very hard work in bridging that gap have paid off.”

Golden also called Phil Murphy "perhaps the worst governor in the United States of America."

“Governor Murphy has crippled our small business, created a mess with the state’s motor vehicle and unemployment systems, raised taxes, ballooned our state’s debt, and oversaw the deaths of 8,000 of our elderly loved ones and veterans in long-term care facilities," said Golden.

“We believe that voters are rejecting the disastrous policies of both the Murphy and Biden administrations," he said. "Voters are coming back to the Republican party."

"I believe we are witnessing a shift in voter preference here in Monmouth,” said Republican Party co-chair Christine Hanlon, who is also the County Clerk. “People are moving out of the cities into beautiful Monmouth County and are registering as Republicans because they know what good leadership looks like.

Samantha Minchello, director of the Monmouth County Democratic Party, said the voter numbers are temporarily skewed because of the most recent June primary.

"Republicans just faced a contested primary where they threw an incumbent woman off their party line, Serena DiMaso, whereas the Democrats did not have a contested primary," she said, referring to when Sheriff Golden and the Monmouth GOP shockingly pulled support for longtime Assemblywoman DiMaso. Running without the party's blessing, DiMaso lost her re-election attempt in June.

"Therefore, many of the unaffiliated voters who previously voted Republican switched registration to the party they were voting for anyway as a result of the primary. New Jersey still has 1 million more registered Democrats than Republicans," she said.

Monmouth County is a battleground, as Republicans are trying to keep it one of the few remaining NJ GOP strongholds and Democrats try to gain a majority there.

"Despite having registration advantages locally in Monmouth County, Monmouth Republicans have still lost three legislative seats and majorities and/or mayoral seats in Matawan, Neptune City, Fair Haven, Howell, Keyport and numerous other towns in recent years," she said. "In addition, Monmouth Republicans failed to get a single redistricting commissioner on either the state or federal commissions this year, showing their lack of influence within their own statewide party."

Keep reading: Trump's Election Performance In Monmouth Worst For GOP Since 1996 (December 2020)

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