Above Image: Denny Levinson has been County Executive of Atlantic County since 2000. He is well-liked and respected as an effective administrator. He was elected by large margins to seven four-year terms. He is more than 77 years old.
Above Image: From Left to Right: former Assemblywoman Claire Swift, State Senator Vince Polistina, and Assemblyman Don Guardian. All three Republicans were elected in 2023. Guardian was narrowly re-elected in 2025, but Swift was narrowly defeated by Democrat Maureen Rowan. Polistina was elected to a four-year term that expires next year.
Above Image: From Left to Right: Mike Ruffu, Maureen Kern and Jim Bertino. All three Republicans were elected as Atlantic County commissioners (formerly freeholders) in 2024. Their three-year terms expire next year.
Very few voters are thinking about next November’s elections. However, serious candidates, and the Democratic and Republican Party leaders who decide who to nominate next year are now meeting and making their plans.
Legally, Democrats and Republicans nominate their candidates in “Primary Elections” held in June. Any voter can become a candidate by getting signatures of other voters on a nominating petition and filing it with the County Clerk in 71 days before the election. (Late March)
However, most candidates are selected by party leaders long before then and run unopposed.
Above Image: House at One North Brighton Avenue in Atlantic City. For years, Jimmy Boyd lived there with his wife Marie. It was said that from the 1940s to 1974, Republican leaders in Atlantic County met there on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to pick their candidates for the following year.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, State Senator Frank S. Farley ran the Republican Party in Atlantic County. It was said that on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Farley met with local Republican leaders at the home of Jimmy Boyd, the Clerk of the County Freeholders. There they decided who the Republican candidates would be for the Legislature and county offices the following year.
After Republicans lost control of Atlantic City in 1975, they set up a complicated “convention” system to choose their candidates. These “conventions” are usually held in late February or early March. However, these “conventions” usually rubber stamp candidates chosen by a handful of party leaders weeks or months before.
Last year, Republicans in Atlantic County ran qualified, well-known candidates who ran good campaigns. They included Jeff Van Drew for Congress, Tokyo Joe O’Donoghue for Sheriff, Joe Giralo for County Clerk, and John Risley, June Byrhnes, and Andrew Parker for County Commissioner.
They were all easily beaten by little known Democrats.
Atlantic County Results: DEM REP MARGIN
U.S. Senate: Booker/Murphy: 52,882 38,951 +13,931
U.S. House: Murdock/Van Drew: 52,769 40,351 +12,418
Sheriff: Riggin/Donoghue: 48,980 42,476 + 6,504
Clerk: Bender/Giralo: 49,443 41,830 +7,613
Commissioner: Marcellus/Risley: 49,747 41,033 +8,714
Commissioner Gornick/Byrnes: 49,542 40,368 +9,174
Comm. Dist 3: Healey/Parker: 10,651* 8,628 * +2,023*
*(4 Districts in Atlantic County)
Next November, Atlantic County voters will choose a County Executive and three county commissioners. They will also choose one 40 State Senators, and two of 80 members of the State Assembly.
Republican Dennis Levinson is the County Executive of Atlantic County. He runs all county departments and hires, fires, and supervises all county government employees. Republicans Mike Ruffu, Maureen Kern and Jim Bertino are County Commissioners (formerly freeholders). Each is one of a nine member commission that acts as the legislature or council of county government. Their terms expire next year. Republican Vince Polistina is the State Senator and Republican Don Guardian and Democrat Maureen Rowan are the two State Assembly Members for most of Atlantic County.
In normal times, all of these Republican officials would run for re-election and easily be renominated. Most would be favored to be elected next November. However, had they run for re-election this year, all of them, except for Jim Bertino, would have been easily defeated by any random Democrat.
Click here for links to posts explaining why this year’s election was different:
Chet Nagle Post of November 12, 2026: A machine won the midterm. By Chet Nagle. Shared by Kelly Johnston. – Liberty and Prosperity
Colleen O’Dea Post in InsiderNJ.com on November 11, 2026: Diving Deeper into 2026 Election Turnout Compared to 2018. From InsiderNJ.com – Liberty and Prosperity
Seth Grossman Post of November 6, 2026: Why did all these Republicans lose? What now? – Liberty and Prosperity
Will these Republicans run for re-election next year? Should they run? Can any of them win? Can Atlantic County Republicans find candidates and messages than can win next year?
Let’s talk about it! Post your comments online below. Share them on X or Facebook. Meet us for breakfast 9:30am any Saturday morning in Somers Point.
Note: Seth Grossman will be guest-hosting the John DeMasi radio program “Talk with a Purpose” this Saturday, November 13 from 9AM to Noon. Listen in South Jersey on 95.5FM or 1450AM or online at wpgtalkradio.com. Live on-air call-in to 609-407-1450.
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