The Middlesex Republicans’ organizational line in Congress in New Jersey’s 6th district will go to Sue Keeley, who is now a clear leader in her attempt to oust 18-year-old incumbent President Frank Polone Jr. (D-Long Branch), a powerful chairman House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Keeley, a Monmouth County commissioner and former mayor of Hazlet, defeated former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official Rick Meta with 112 votes to 54, 67% -32%, at the Republican Party convention in Middlesex on Saturday.
“Middlesex Republicans have come up with real energy to defeat Frank Polone and Bonnie Watson Coleman and build on the successes we achieved in New Jersey last year,” said Middlesex Republican Republican Chairman Rob Bengiveng. “I am proud of their efforts and grateful to everyone who participated. I look forward to working with our strong Conservatives for victory in November. ”
Mehta said he remains in the race to take on Pallone, and is now considering what the race might look like offline.
“In Middlesex, I have too many fans to go right,” Mehta told the New Jersey Globe.
She has already secured an organizational line in Monmouth County after winning their convention last month with 67% of the vote.
Earlier this month, Keeley won a vote in the Middlesex regional party committee with the same score of 2-1.
Former Republican National Committee member Thomas Toomey and 2021 libertarian gubernatorial governor candidate Greg Mel are also fighting for a chance to remove Pallone. Mele received two votes, and two ballots were annulled.
Mehta moved to Iselin earlier this year after rejecting his application for a nomination to the Republican Party against MP Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes) to run against Pallone. He was a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2000 against Cory Booker and won organizational lines in Manmouth and Middlesex. It is a record for the number of votes ever received by a Republican candidate in New Jersey.
In the neighboring 12th constituency, Republican Darius Mayfield won his third organizational line in his attempt to oust MP Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).
He defeated Nick Katuchi, the director, with a score of 53: 3, gaining a confident 95% victory.
Earlier this week, Mayfield won conventions in Mercer and Somerset counties.
