Morris Township, Morris Plains on Solid Ground as Political Map Shifts

Legislative and party leaders throughout New Jersey are scrambling to make sense of a new political landscape. But in Morris Township and Morris Plains, the winds of change are blowing a little more softly.

While legislative district boundaries shifted across the state this weekend, Morris Plains remains firmly planted in the 26th District, represented by state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, Assemblyman Alex DeCroce and Assemblyman Jay Webber, all Republicans. Morris Township remains in the 25th District, represented by state Sen. Anthony R. Bucco, Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, also Republicans.

And though the makeup of both districts has changed—scroll down to the bottom of this article to see a full breakdown of the new 25th and 26h Districts—they're still clearly Republican turf.

"I don't think it's going to have an impact on Morris Plains," Republican Mayor Frank Druetzler of Morris Plains said. "We have some new towns [in the district] but all of the same representatives are still in the district." Jason Karr, the borough's only Democratic councilman, could not be immediately reached Monday, nor could Mark Heckler, the Morris Plains chair for the Morris County Democratic Committee.

Tom Luby, Morris Township Republican chair, said he's happy to remain in the 25th district, made up almost entirely of Morris County communities. 

"There was some concern that might not happen, but we're pleased it did," he said. Barbara Kavadias, his counterpart on the Democratic county committee, said she had been ill and had not yet absorbed the data, though she said she'd try to get in touch later with comment.

The 25th District lost Jefferson and Rockaway Township to the 26th District. It picked up Washington Township, Bernardsville, the Chesters, Mendham Borough and Netcong. 

The 26th District lost Bloomingdale, Chatham borough, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Pequannock, Pompton Lakes and Riverdale. In addition to Jefferson and Rockaway Township, it picked up Fairfield, North Caldwell, Verona and West Caldwell.

The changes come as political lines move throughout New Jersey. The commission responsible for drawing the state's legislative districts in the aftermath of the 2010 census has made its decision, and approved a legislative map favored by Democrats overall.

The redistricting process involved a commission of five Democrats and five Republicans, the latter with political support from Gov. Chris Christie. Each side drew its own map for the state, and a tiebreaker vote was cast over the weekend by a non-partisan, judge-appointed commission member, Rutgers public policy professor Alan Rosenthal. The professor sided with the Democrats, saying their map was less disruptive to the state.

"I think Republicans in general are disappointed that the recommendations put forward by [Assemblyman] Jay Webber and the [Republican redistricting] committee were not taken," Luby said. Webber chaired the GOP's contingent on the redistricting commission. He and other Republicans have criticized the new map, saying it protects incumbent Democrats and unevenly represents populations in the northern and southern halves of the state.

Marguerite (Peggy) Adams, Morris Plains' Republican county committee chair, was more blunt in her complaints about the process: "They did this with no rhyme or reason. The assemblymen are going to be running all over the place. If they have a meeting in Jefferson and then a meeting in West Caldwell, it certainly would use a heck of a lot of gas.”

Assemblyman Bucco, son of the senator, said he's glad that "the towns that we picked up [in the 25th District] are good, solid Republican towns. They've got great Republican leadership in those towns. I'm looking forward to getting to know them."

The offices for the legislators serving the 26th district said they would not be immediately available for comment Monday.

Key Changes in Eastern Morris County

Morris County Democratic Committee Executive Director Chip Robinson said he was excited by one change to the local legislative map—the traditionally Democratic and Essex County-centric 27th District picked up several towns on his turf. It gets Harding, Chatham Township, East Hanover, Hanover and Madison (it also gets as Essex County's Millburn).

"I'm very, very happy," Robinson said. "For the first time I'm going to have some Democratic representation in my county."

The county last sent a Democrat to the state legislature in 1993, when Gordon MacInnes of Morris Township was the 25th district's senator. His single term ended in 1997.

"I think you're certainly going to see very competitive local races in the eastern part of the county," Robinson said, predicting a down-ticket impact. The changes do, however, mean the Democratic committee will need to scramble to place candidates in legislative races, as several of those on its expected slate live in towns that have changed districts.

But John Sette, chair of the Morris County Republican Committee, said Morris would remain "100 percent Republican for municipal and county."

"You can tell my friend at the Democratic Committee not to worry. They went from absolutely no shot to absolutely no shot," Sette said. "Every year, they tell us this is their year. I'll believe it when I see it."