Scharfenberger​, DiMaso and Marchese Now Fighting for Assembly Seat

The Republican primary for New Jersey's 13th legislative district is heating up!

Not only did Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso announce Monday morning she will seek the Republican nomination for state Assembly in the district, but Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger announced he wants the seat, too. They will compete against Fair Haven Councilman Bob Marchese, who also seeks the GOP nomination for the Assembly seat.

Both DiMaso and Scharfenberger announced the news Monday morning, DiMaso in a press release and Scharfenberger via a Facebook video post, which you can see below. Marchese announced his candidacy last week.

This is all part of the continued squabbling over an elected office long held by Monmouth County state Senator Joe Kyrillos, who announced late last year he was stepping down from his state Senate seat in the 13th. That means current Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, both Republicans, are now competing for Kyrillos' soon-to-be vacant Senate seat. DiMaso, Marchese and Scharfenberger are now vying to take over either O'Scanlon's or Handlin's Assembly seat.

Voters will get their say on the day of the Republican primary, which is the first Tuesday in June.

“The retirement of our great State Senator, Joe Kyrillos, has left some big shoes to be filled and those shoes will likely be filled by one of our current Assembly members," said DiMaso in the press release, first reported by More Monmouth Musings.

DiMaso, 53, is an attorney and a resident of Holmdel. She was a Holmdel Township Committeewoman before becoming a county Freeholder. Scharfenberger, 58, is an archaeologist and works in Gov. Chris Christie's administration as director of New Jersey's Office for Planning Advocacy. Marchese, 54, is an attorney and is in his third term on the Fair Haven Council.

New Jersey's 13th legislative district contains most of northern Monmouth County and is a Republican stronghold, despite many expensive and ardent attempts by Monmouth County Democrats to flip it. It includes Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright and Union Beach.