Interim Hunterdon County Democratic Chair Janice Kovach will not run in a special election to pick a replacement for Tom Malinowski, who resigned as county chairman on Thursday to seek the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district
The party’s executive committee will meet on Saturday morning to pick a date for the special election – it must be within thirty days – and the rules for how the contest will be conducted.
“I originally planned to run for chair in June 2024, but when Tom decided to run, I joined his team. Those closest to me know that I never intended to serve more than one term; my goal was to help revive HCDC and pass it on to a strong team for the future,” Kovach said in a letter sent to county committee members. “Since I did not plan to run for chair in June 2026, I will not be seeking the chair position in the upcoming special election.”
Kovach, the mayor of Clinton, announced that she will step down as vice chair after the special election.
“I believe the next chair should have the opportunity to select their own vice chair,” she stated. “Looking ahead to 2026 and the critical midterm elections, the chair and vice chair must work closely together, as it will require even more time and resources.”
She told party leaders that “serving as vice chair has been an honor and a privilege, and I deeply appreciate the support many of you have shown.”
“We have built lasting friendships through the challenges of campaigning, shared tough moments over coffee, and celebrated victories over wine,” said Kovach. “We have some outstanding candidates running in CD 7, and they will need our full support to succeed.”
Hunterdon has been a Republican stronghold, with no Democrats winning countywide office since 1982. Still, Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill came within 3,355 votes of carrying Hunterdon, winning 47% of the vote.
