Primary Day In Middletown: Who's Running, Where To Vote

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Middletown voters will be asked to vote Tuesday in the primary election.

There are three important races Middletown voters will be asked to vote in today:

1. NJ 4 Congress primary: Republican challengers to Congressman Chris Smith

Republican Chris Smith has represented Ocean and Monmouth counties since he was first elected to Congress in 1980.

Challenging Smith are two candidates who say they are more far right than he is: Mike Crispi of Middletown and Steve Gray of Howell.

Crispi, a conservative podcast host, has been campaigning under the "America First" slogan as having answered former President Donald Trump's call to unseat Republicans who voted for the $1 trillion infrastructure package earlier this year. Crispi has had Roger Stone, the GOP operative convicted of lying to authorities, running his campaign, and has promoted himself as Trump's pick though Trump never gave him a formal endorsement. Crispi has called Smith a RINO.

Gray, a former FBI agent, has been running on the similar America First slogan as well.

Both men have attacked Smith over his vote on the infrastructure package and over his lengthy service in Congress. Smith however, has broad support from Republican officials in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

2. NJ 6 Congress primary: 4 Republicans seek to take on Congressman Frank Pallone, a Democrat, this November. The four Republicans are:

• Former Hazlet mayor and current Monmouth County Commissioner Sue Kiley. She is the candidate endorsed by the Middlesex County Republican Party and the Monmouth County Republican Party.
• Lawyer Gregg Mele. He was the 2021 Libertarian Party nominee for NJ governor
• Tom Toomey, a millennial who has worked for Thompson Reuters, Samsung and Workforce. He used to work for the Republican National Committee.
• Rik Mehta, a small-business owner from the Iselin section of Woodbridge. In the past, he ran for U.S. Senate in New Jersey and lost. He is now trying for Congress.

3. Republican primary for Monmouth County Commissioners, Sheriff:

Incumbent Sheriff Shaun Golden is being challenged by Gary J. Rich, Sr. for a three-year term as sheriff. Golden is on the Monmouth County Republican Organization line; Rich is on the America First Republicans line. No Democrat has filed a petition for sheriff.

For the two, three-year terms on the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, Daniel Francisco and Steven L. Rich, America First Republicans, are challenging incumbents Thomas "Tom" Arnone and Dominick "Nick" DiRocco, both supported by the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

The general midterm election will be Nov. 8. Find your polling place to vote Tuesday here: https://www.monmouthcountyvote...