Wayne GOPer Announces Candidacy For 40th District Assembly Seat

WAYNE, N.J. — The founder of an alternative local Republican Party ticket is running for one of two District 40 Assembly seats — setting up a primary battle with incumbent Kevin Rooney and his slate of Republican candidates.

Joseph Bubba Jr. formally announced his candidacy Wednesday. The son of a longtime state senator, Bubba said he is "ready to unleash his energy and determination in the 40th Legislative District race."

Bubba has the support of Passaic County and Bergen County Republican chairmen John Traier and Paul Diagaetano. The 40th District, which has a history of being a Republican stronghold, contains portions of Bergen, Passaic, Essex, and Morris counties. The seats are available because former Assemblyman Scott Rumana resigned last year and his colleagues David Russo and Senator Kevin O'Toole said they would not seek reelection.

Norm Robertson, a former state senator who defeated Bubba's father for a senate seat in the mid-1990s, is the ticket's other assembly candidate.

Digaetano, of Franklin Lakes, will run with Bubba for the senate seat. Digaetano represented the 36th Legislative District in the Assembly from 1992 to 2006.

Bubba founded the Wayne Regular Republican Organization in 2012 as a counter to the party's "tax-and-spend" system of government in town.

He also helped run Governor Chris Christie’s campaign in Passaic County when he was running against incumbent Governor Jon Corzine.

Bubba previously said local politicians need to adopt Christie’s philosophy of governing when it comes to spending tax dollars by balancing the budget and cutting spending.

Rooney, the former mayor of Wyckoff, was appointed in November to complete former Assemblyman Scott Rumana's term. Rumana resigned his seat after he was appointed to a Superior Court judgeship in October. The term expires Dec. 31.

Rooney previously said it was his desire to run for a full term.

Christopher DePhillips, an attorney, is seeking the Republican nomination for the other Assembly seat. Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado is seeking the nomination for the district's Senate seat.

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Photo: Joseph Bubba Jr. — Patch file photo by Daniel Hubbard