Endorsements Rolling In for DeCroce

Three Republican council members from West Milford are the latest politicians to throw their support to District 26 Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce's primary election campaign. 

West Milford Councilmen Joseph Smolinski, Ed Rosone and Michael Ramaglia announced their support for DeCroce late Monday.

Smolinski said DeCroce and her late husband, former Assemblyman Alex DeCroce, have been responsive to the needs of residents of West Milford, which, like Parsippany, is in District 26.

“We need someone in the legislature who is going carry our message to Trenton,” said Smolinski via an official statement. "West Milford has unique challenges and we need help from the state legislature to overcome those challenges.”

Ramaglia said DeCroce's history as a municipal clerk and as deputy commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs gives her a real knowledge of how municipalities work.

“Experience in how municipalities operate and the problems we face is a tremendous asset for any member of the Assembly,” said Ramaglia. “Mrs. DeCroce certainly has that experience.”

Rosone added that it would be an “advantage in continuity of representation for the township to be represented by Mrs. DeCroce.” 

Hours before the West Milford trio made their endorsements, District 40 Assemblyman Scott Rumana of Wayne announced that he would back DeCroce's campaign to keep her Assembly seat. 

“On issues that are very important to Morris, Passaic and Essex counties, BettyLou DeCroce is already well versed, Rumana said in a statement. "She was an important supporter of the work that Alex and I were doing to relieve flooding and transportation problems in the region.”

Rumana said he had worked for years with Alex DeCroce on legislation involving flooding issues in the Passaic River Basin and transportation.

“I believe BettyLou is ideally suited to hold a position in the Assembly and has the background and knowledge to represent the people of her district,” added Rumana. 

, a longtime Parsippany resident and realtor, served in the General Assembly from 1989 through his .

BettyLou DeCroce earned the right to fill the District 26 seat through the end of the year by held just weeks after her husband's passing.

The incumbent Assemblywoman will face Montville businessman Anthony Pio Costa in the June primary election.