Christian Barranco is ready to run for the state Assembly from the 26th District. But not this year.

Barranco, who was considering a challenge to two Republican incumbents in a GOP-leaning district that covers mostly Morris County, said as Monday’s filing deadline neared that he will eschew a race this year because of a somewhat complicated residency situation.

Barranco explained that he bought a house in Jefferson Township, which is in the district, last December. However, he said the law requires those running to have lived in a district at least one year prior to the date of the general election. That would be November, 2019. So by buying his Jefferson home in December, 2018, Barranco misses that cutoff by one month.

Barranco, who is now living temporarily outside of the 26th District in Wayne, could have challenged that regulation in court. Residency requirements generally tend to be rather loose. Or in other words, a candidate often “lives” where he says he lives.

Nonetheless, Barranco, who is a one time councilman in Pompton Lakes, said he didn’t want to do anything that could have sparked controversy, not to mention attacks from his opponents. But he said he will definitely be an Assembly candidate in 2021.

Unless something happens by the 4 p.m. deadline, Barranco’s move means that incumbents Jay Webber and Bettylou DeCroce will be unopposed.

Webber, of course, ran unsuccessfully last year for Congress in the 11th District.

The Democratic Assembly candidates in the district are Christine Clarke and Laura Fortgang
Barranco, who is a member of Parsippany-based Local 102 of the IBEW, is staying involved.

He said he will devote time to the New Jersey Rough Riders’ Society, a group he formed with (you got it) Teddy Roosevelt in mind. Barranco described the organization as Republicanism for the working man.
The group plans a fundraiser Wednesday night at the Park Savoy Restaurant in Florham Park to benefit Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, who is up this year for reelection.

The “working man,” or whatever similar term you use, traditionally has resided in the Democratic camp.

No longer true. Barranco said it’s not all that hard to convince tradesmen of the virtues of the GOP.

But here’s the problem. He said it’s a little harder to warm Republicans up to the idea of seeking commonality with tradesmen.