JEFFERSON - Christian Barranco lost his state Assembly seat last year by about 1,800 votes, a victim of Mikie Sherrill's strong showing across New Jersey.

Now, he's hoping for better luck with the folks at home.

Barranco is challenging Republican Mayor Eric Wilsusen in the party's June primary.

He had this to say in a statement:

"After four years of serving in the NJ Legislature and seeing first-hand how our state is being held under the thumb of those who hold public office for their own self-interests, I have decided to give Jefferson Township the opportunity to free ourselves from that same problem locally. For over 20 years, our township has seen a very real pattern of expanding government, rising costs, and declining accountability.”

Nothing new about that type of rhetoric, but in this case, it's a Republican saying it about other Republicans.

Parts of Morris County have become much more competitive. Sherrill won Morris last fall and Democrat Marisa Sweeney beat Barranco to win the Assembly seat in the 25th District.

But Jefferson - "nestled deep in the northwest corner of Morris County," as its website says, remains "red." Jack Ciattarelli carried Jefferson by about 1,900 votes.

That makes the primary the real election.

Wilsusen, who was first elected mayor in 2018, has strong roots in the township. He grew up in the Lake Shawnee section and is a former police officer, retiring as deputy chief.

If there's a political backstory here, it dates back to 2021 when Barranco was first elected to the state Assembly. He got there by beating incumbent BettyLou DeCroce in that year's primary. Wilsusen, that year, supported DeCroce.

Barranco on his Facebook page is also throwing his support behind two candidates for the town council - Sheila Brown and Dottie Santasieri.

So the primary may be a wild (relatively speaking) affair.

Wilsusen in a phone chat Friday morning said of Barranco:

"I welcome the challenge. I welcome the debate."

And he called on Barranco to be more specific in regard to his accusations about how the township is run.