The Republican nominee for the State Assembly in the 39th legislative district is Frank Pallotta, a conservative former investment banker who competed against Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) in 2020 and 2022.
Public safety, law enforcement, flood mitigation, deteriorating infrastructure, overdevelopment, and the high cost of living are the main issues Pallotta declared his campaign would address.
He is running against Assemblymen John Azzariti, Jr. (R-Saddle River) and Bob Auth (R-Old Tappan), two incumbents. In addition, Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo, the 2017 Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, filed a letter of intent to seek the support of the Bergen County Republican organization but has not yet made his candidacy official. Other candidates include Mahwah Councilman Ward Donigan and Saddle River Councilman John Kurpis.
Pallotta declared at the beginning of his campaign that he would not be attending the Bergen County GOP convention, which would grant him a slogan but not the ballot advantage that comes with the organization line.
While I have a lot of respect for the roughly 800 members of the Bergen County Republican Organization’s Committee, of which I am still an active member, I cannot ethically take part in an antiquated convention process that can take months and divert tens of thousands of dollars and vital resources from what is most important—direct voter engagement, Pallotta said. The families, employees, and small business owners that contribute to the strength of our community are deprived of every minute that is spent wooing a select group of political insiders.
Pallotta defeated opponents running on the organization ticket in two Republican congressional primaries. As an off-the-line candidate in 2022, he garnered 47% of the vote in the municipalities of the 39th district, which were in the 5th congressional district.
In 2029, Trump endorsed Pallottain.
Pallotta can finance his campaign alone because he is an Assembly candidate; he invested around $1.7 of his own funds in his two House campaigns.
He criticized Auth for supporting anti-President Donald Trump State Senator Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) in the Republican primary for governor.
One cannot overlook such betrayal. Pallotta stated that District 39 needed a change. I am certain that I am better equipped to speak for the decent residents of District 39.
Allendale, Alpine, Cresskill, Closter, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Midland Park, Ho-Ho-Kus, Mahwah, Oakland, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, Ramsey, River Vale, Rockleigh, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake are all included in the 39th.
