Morris County Democrats are seeking the resignation of Dover Democratic Municipal Chair Maria Solines and the town’s entire 24-member Democratic county committee for not supporting party-backed candidates in the general election.
The Morris Democratic executive board alleges that the Dover Democrats, including Solines, “publicly supported and advocated for” Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for Governor, against their nominee, Mikie Sherrill. Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, a county committeeman, publicly endorsed Ciattarelli.
Additionally, the county Democratic organization says the Dover Democrats promoted Republican Assemblyman Christian Barranco (R-Jefferson)
“The executive board has determined that your actions constitute a detrimental, material breach of these obligations under our bylaws,” the organization stated in a letter. “The executive board requests this action based on evidence that you knowingly supported and promoted candidates opposing the officially endorsed Democratic nominees in violation of your obligations as a member.”
Dover politics reached heightened toxicity in 2018, when an insurgent slate backed by the Morris Democratic organization ousted two incumbent aldermen allied with Dodd and won control of the local Democratic organization from the mayor. In 2019, Dodd sought re-election as an independent and lost; he regained the mayoralty four years later, beating the incumbent in the Democratic primary. Dodd maintained that his Democratic credentials were solid, despite his endorsement of Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s 2013 re-election bid.
Morris Democrats say the Dover group promoted a write-in campaign against the party’s council nominees in two wards and for a Republican in Ward 3. In Ward 1, they accused the Solines-led group of creating and broadcasting statements “with offensive, intimidating, and demeaning language targeting Daniella Mendez,” their candidate, that violates the party’s anti-harassment policy.
The demand is for resignations by 5 PM on December 22; after that, the Morris County Democratic Committee is prepared to hold a vote in January to remove the committee members from their seats for by-laws violations. The Dover group would have an opportunity to speak on their own behalf prior to the vote.
Support from Dodd and Malines had little consequence on the election results: Sherrill, who had represented Dover in Congress for three years, won 69% of the vote against Ciattarelli. Barranco wound up running fourth in Dover, 66 votes behind his running mate, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-Mendham). Assemblywoman-elect Marissa Sweeney (D-Morristown) ran 1,216 votes ahead of Barranco.
For the Dover Town Council, the three Democratic nominees won by wide margins.
Salines did not respond to an email seeking comment.
