Sussex County, in New Jersey’s deep-red northern reaches, has very few Democrats holding local elected office – but one of those few, Sparta Mayor Neill Clark, has opted to weigh in on the contest for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district.
Clark, whose office is officially nonpartisan but who identifies as a Democrat, endorsed businessman Brian Varela in the nine-way Democratic contest to challenge Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
“I’m proud to endorse Brian Varela because he possesses that rare combination of authentic empathy and political prowess that springs from his working-class and small business owner background,” Clark said in a statement. “His practical pocketbook focused economic message combined with his grassroots support and ground game are key to winning back the voters that Democrats need in districts like NJ-07.”
Clark was first elected to the Sparta Township Council in 2022, and was chosen by his colleagues as mayor in early 2024 – an impressive feat given that Sparta, the second-largest town in the county at around 20,000 residents, consistently votes for Republicans in state and federal elections. (Kean won the town by 18 points in his last re-election campaign.)
“As the mayor of a town which Trump carried with 57% of the vote, I know what it takes for a Democrat to win in places like Sparta – and Brian is that kind of Democrat,” Clark said.
Since launching his campaign earlier this year, Varela has steadily earned dozens of local endorsements around the 7th district, including from Assemblywoman-elect Marisa Sweeney (D-Morristown) and a large number of councilpeople and party officials. Clark is the first Sussex County politician to make an endorsement in the race.
