Doug Cabana

Tony Bucco kicks off campaign next month.

The announcement that attorney Tony Bucco means to officially kick-off his District 25 Assembly campaign on Dec. 9th contrasts with his primary opponent and fellow attorney, Morris County Freeholder Douglas Cabana, who’s waiting to make his formal announcement in the new year.  

“It’s time to be spending time with family and friends,” said Cabana. “I know where I have support, and it is unsolicited support.”

Bucco, son of state Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-Morris), declared during the Republican National Convention that he would run for the seat vacated by Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R-Mendham), who’s retiring to run for governor.

MINNEAPOLIS - Morris County Freeholder Doug Cabana of Boonton said he intends to run for the Assembly in the 25th District now that Richard Merkt announced his decision not to pursue re-election next year in favor of a gubernatorial bid.

"I’ve been getting quite a few emails in the district from people saying it’s your turn to go," Cabana told PolitickerNJ.com. "I called Richard Merkt to verify that he was in fact not running, and he’s not going to run, so I am."

Cabana’s designs on the seat mean the GOP primary next year could be a showdown between the 11-year freeholder veteran and Tony Bucco, Jr., son of state Sen. Tony Bucco (R-Morris), and Cabana's brother-in-law.

Cabana has no qualms about going against the younger Bucco - who’s never held elected office.

But he said he doesn’t want to run against fellow Freeholder John Murphy, who has not decided whether he intends to run for the Assembly seat, according to Cabana.

If Rick Merkt gives up his State Assembly seat to run for Governor next year, there will most definitely be a long list of Republicans interested in seeking the open seat in the 25th district. Possible candidates include: attorney Anthony Bucco, Jr., the son of the incumbent State Senator; Morris County Freeholder John Murphy, who ran for Governor in 2005; Freeholder Douglas Cabana, who unsuccessfully challenged Merkt and incumbent Michael Patrick Carroll in 2003; Freeholders Bill Chegwidden and Gene Feyl; and Mount Arlington Mayor Art Ondish. Another possible candidate is former Freeholder John Inglesino, who lost the 1997 GOP primary to Merkt by less than 250 votes. But Inglesino is actively involved in Chris Christie’s campaign for Governor and might not want to take time away from that effort.

Jim Murray spent 35 years as an engineer employed by Morris CountyJames Murray, a 68-year-old retired engineer from Chester Township, chewed into the usually sedate scenery of Morris County politics Tuesday when he upset Freeholder John Inglesino, stunning the political establishment and two other Freeholders.

Murray says his “message” propelled him to victory -- but he spent less than $5,000 on his campaign, and there was no obvious reason why Inglesino would find himself in trouble with Republican primary voters that have re-elected him twice by considerable pluralities.

Some Republicans have even wondered if there was a hiccup in the electronic voting machines – something the county’s top election official denies.