In the waning days of the pandemic-impacted 2020 campaign, Phil Murphy made a rare appearance in Randolph on behalf of the Democratic candidates in a special LD-25 election.

The governor specifically opined that Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, the Republican incumbent in the race, deserved to be defeated.

That didn’t happen. Democrats  – thanks to early mail-in voting – grabbed an election night lead, but as more votes were tabulated, Dunn and her Senate counterpart, Anthony M. Bucco, held on.

The race  was a sign that the Dems’ recent success in Morris – winning House seats in 2018 and 2020 – may not be seeping down to lower levels of government.

This year, of course, is another test.

Dunn, Bucco and Brian Bergen, the district’s other assemblyman, are all seeking re-election.

Dunn, who Murphy targeted for defeat a few months ago, is embracing the challenge.

She kicked off her campaign in Chester Township in late June accompanied by fellow GOP Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz.

And later this month, Dunn is hosting a fundraiser in Mendham as part of a Women Who Lead program.

One of the scheduled attendees is state GOP chair Bob Hugin.

Another is one-time Congressman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, for whom Dunn once worked and who once represented the district.

Since his retirement in January, 2019, Frelinghuysen has been largely absent from Morris GOP life, although he did endorse Dunn’s Assembly bid – by letter. So, this would be one of the former congressman’s few  appearances on the campaign circuit since his exit.

Hugin’s scheduled presence suggests this is not a district Republicans can afford to lose.

Jack Ciattarelli, ever so bravely, has talked about Republicans gaining a majority in the Legislature this fall. That seems close to impossible. And it certainly would be impossible if Republicans lose some of the seats they have now.

The LD-25 Democratic candidates are Jeff Grayzel for Senate and Lauren Barnett and Patricia Veres for Assembly.

At ground level, this is still Republican terrain.

But things are getting a bit shaky.

The Republican registration advantage in the district was about 11,000 four years ago; now it’s about 3,000.

That’s apparently close enough to energize Frelinghuysen.