Cianfarini, Chintall Call for Party Unity

Moments after the final results were in and they declared victory, Sam Cianfarini and Ray Chintall were already looking to the challenges ahead in the November election.

Their first order of business: calling for unity in a splintered West Deptford Republican Party.

“We need to fight for conservative government in a unified fashion,” Cianfarini said.

The pair are aiming to set up a meeting with all registered Republicans in West Deptford, to sit down with current Republican committeeman Sean Kilpatrick and talk about what will be necessary to defeat the Democrats, who will have powerful state Sen. Stephen Sweeney at the top of the ticket, and claim control of township committee.

Given the rancorous primary race and a history of battles between current West Deptford Republican chair Joann Priga and defeated committee candidate Loran Oglesby, that may not be the easiest task.

Priga, for her part, said she’s willing to extend the olive branch and invite every Republican, regardless of stripe, into their meetings.

“We need to come together as a party,” Priga said. “If (Oglesby) truly feels she is a Republican, she needs to come forward.”

If Oglesby’s emotional reaction in defeat Tuesday night was any indication, though, that’s unlikely.

“I definitely, irrecoverably will not support them in the November election,” Oglesby said.

Reporter Kristin Toussaint contributed to this report.