The Passaic County Republican Organization has completed its countywide ticket for the November general election, selecting Wanaque Councilman Ed Leonard and Passaic City businessman Marko Kopec as its nominees for county commissioner.
Leonard will replace Daniel Sagan, who withdrew from the race after winning the GOP primary; and will run with Bill Rodriguez for two three-year terms against Democratic incumbents Orlando Cruz and Nicholas Veliky.
Kopec, who lost a school board race in April, will run for the unexpired term of John Bartlet, who resigned month to become general counsel of the Gateway Development Corporation. Democrats will pick their candidate in August.
The three will run on a slate headed by former president of the Passaic County Bar Association Jessic Sprague, who is challenging incumbent Zoila Cassanova for Surrogate.
“With the selection of Ed Leonard and Marko Kopec, we have assembled an outstanding countywide ticket that reflects the strength and diversity of Passaic County,” said Passaic County GOP Chairman Peter Murphy.
Murphy cited Leonard’s local government experience,
Rodriguez is a former law enforcement official and a career New Jersey Transit locomotive engineer.
He said Leonard’s experience in municipal government, Kopec’s community involvement, Sprague’s legal background, and Rodriguez’s career in public service would provide voters with candidates committed to “transparent, accountable, and commonsense leadership.”
Republicans are trying to break the 7-0 Democratic majority on the Passaic Board of County Commissioners.
