Eric Munoz

Former Yankees/Mets all-star pitcher Al Leiter will headline a fundraising next week to raise money for the re-election campaign of Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-Summit).  Munoz was elected last spring to fill the seat left vacant when her husband, Eric Munoz, died suddenly of a heart attack.  Leiter is a Toms River native who has said that he is interested in running for office someday.  He is a Republican.

Assemblyman David Rible (R-Wall Twp.) has been elevated to the position of Deputy Conference Leader of the Republican Assembly caucus by Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany).  

“David has provided valuable insight and commitment to our caucus,” said DeCroce,.  “His dedication and commitment to serving not only his district, but all New Jersey taxpayers is exemplary.  He has earned the opportunity to assume further responsibilities.

The leadership position used to belong to the late Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit), who died in March and whose wife, Nancy, was formally sworn into the Assembly yesterday to take over his old seat.  Rible will join the other Deputy Conference Leader, Allison Littell McHose (R-Franklin).

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-Summit)

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-Summit) assumed the oath of office in the Statehouse today, taking the place of her husband, Assemblyman Eric Munoz, who died of a heart condition last month. 

“I am eager to continue the strong tradition of honest and dedicated public service that is the hallmark of legislators, both past and present, who represent the 21st District,” Munoz said in a statement.  “I will bring the same principles and dedication to the Legislature as my husband.  I look forward to contributing to the effort in making New Jersey a better place to live and work.”

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany)  named Munoz, a clinical nurse by training, to serve on the Assembly’s Health & Senior Services and Human Services Committees.    

Assemblywoman-elect Nancy Munoz (R-Summit) becomes the first widow to directly succeed her husband in the New Jersey Legislature.   She won a special election last night to replace Eric Munoz, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 61.

After Patrick Scanlon died in August 1977, his widow, Mary Scanlon, won a November 1977 election to fill his seat.  But the same day, voters elected Joseph Papasidero to fill the remaining two months of Patrick Scanlon's term.  Mary Scanlon actually succeeded Papasidero.  (Deborah Scanlon, a Union County Freeholder, is the daughter-in-law of Patrick and Mary Scanlon.)

The Team: Nancy Munoz, state Sen. Tom Kean (R-Westfield), Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield).

MOUNTAINSIDE - Nancy Munoz, the widow of Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit), prevailed tonight in a special Union GOP convention bid to replace her husband in the 21st Legislative District. 

Nancy Munoz defeated Long Hill School Board member Bruce Meringolo and Long Hill Mayor George Vitureira respectively by a vote of 174 to 34 to 16.

The win came with a back story of some gritted teeth, and a few sets of those were still clearly on edge as members of the county committee filed into tonight’s special convention here at L’Affair on Route 22, and appeared little mollified by state Sen. Tom Kean’s (R-Westfield) observation that county chairmen from Morris and Essex and Somerset had not arrived “as yet.”

The truth was they weren’t there, and they weren’t going to be there – no chairman used to playing the leading man would be able to bear the inevitable loss coming in here - not as long as Union County chairman Phil Morin, who holds the bulk of power in the Union County-heavy 21st District, had finally and firmly gone and backed the widow of Munoz.

The seat of the late Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit) will be filled tonight at a Special Election Convention.

Republican County Committee members from the 21st legislative district will meet tonight to fill Eric Munoz's Assembly seat.  Munoz, a five-term Republican from Summit, passed away last month at the age of 61.  Seeking to fill the remaining eight months of his term are his widow, Nancy Munoz, and Long Hill Mayor George Vituriera. 

Republicans in the 21st Legislative District will hold their convention to replace the late Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit) on Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Munoz’s wife, Nancy, has decided to run to take over her husband’s seat and has the support of most Republican leaders and organizations. 

Long Hill Mayor George Vitureira, who is backed by Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette, and Long Hill Board of Education member Bruce Meringolo both also filed to run in the primary. 

School Board member Bruce Meringolo

LONG HILL – Bullied by Union County in the 21st District, two men from neighboring Morris County entered the Republican Primary, but don’t seem to be able to get out of each other’s way as they try to mutually make the case that they’re bigger than Long Hill Township.

Not only are they from the same county and same town, but making things triply tough on Mayor George Vitureira and School Board member Bruce Meringolo is the fact that they’re running against the widow of Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit). The finer complexities of politics aside, it’s hard to get in a street fight with the next of kin of a beloved former lawmaker, and a nurse at that - and a woman on top of it.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) is also in this race, and in a good place organization-wise, seeking reelection from the bigger Union County portion of the district with the backing of party leadership. 

The death of Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Summit) nearly two weeks ago creates an opening in the Assembly Republican leadership.  Munoz had served as one of two Deputy Conference Leaders.  It is possible that Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) could move up from Assistant Minority Leader, and it is not likely that retiring Assemblyman John Rooney (R-Northvale), who is also an Assistant Minority Leader, would get a leadership promotion for his last eight months in the Legislature.

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) is a big Rumana fan -- he threatened to cut off funding for Assembly races in Bergen County this year if the organization didn't back Rumana for a second term -- and could give the freshman lawmaker a small boost in his contested primary by offering him what legislators view as a more important leadership position.

Friday, in the pouring rain, my friend was laid in his eternal resting place. His life, seemed to have come to an untimely end in the minds of many, but it had been rich and full of accomplishments both large and small, no one can deny that. It was almost as though he deliberately crammed as much as he could into everyday because he was afraid he would miss out on experiencing something.  He was one of those rare people that the sun seemed to shine through every pore of his entire body even when the sun was actually no where to be found. He had the kind of a happy disposition that as parents we want to see in our children from the time that they are infants because we know that pleasant people just do better in personal relationships than those who are contrary individuals. And he seemed to have come to terms with what is really important in life and was able to go through his days striving to share his zest for living and his special talents effortlessly with those who had not yet made that discovery in the hope that they too could bask in and appreciate life’s goodness as he did.