Egg Harbor Township

Atlantic County Republicans will meet tonight to elect a new State Senator to replace Bill Gormley, who resigned last week after nearly thirty years in the Legisture. Assembly Minority Whip Frank Blee, a seven-term legislator from Absecon, faces Egg Harbor Township Mayor James "Sonny" McCullough in a contest that many observers say could be close. Gormley is backing Blee, while McCullough has the active support of Congressman Frank LoBiondo.

If Frank Blee loses the suddenly competitive contest for State Senate, there is strong speculation that he will not seek re-election to the State Assembly this year. With the strong support of Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Egg Harbor Township Mayor James "Sonny" McCullough has emerged as a potent challenger to Blee at the Special Election Convention this month for Bill Gormley's Assembly seat.

With his longtime rival Gormley retiring, LoBiondo has wasted no time making a move to enhance his political clout in Atlantic County. LoBiondo, then an Assemblyman from Cumberland County, defeated Gormley in an especially bitter congressional primary in 1994. The Congressman now lives in Atlantic.

Democrats remain optimistic about their chances to pick up the second district Senate and Assembly seats. Their Senate candidate is James Whelan, a first term Assemblyman and the former Mayor of Atlantic City.

Egg Harbor Township Mayor Sonny McCullough has told some Atlantic County Republicans that he is giving serious consideration to challenging State Senator Bill Gormley or County Executive Dennis Levinson in the June 2007 Republican primary.