MORRISTOWN – Jon Bramnick was there – which is really the goal when you are running for governor. Just be seen by a hundred or so active Republicans.

Not only that, Bramnick had a role in the proceedings; he administered the oath of office to Tayfun Selen, the 2025 director of the Morris County Board of Commissioners.

This was at the board’s Friday reorganization meeting.

These “reorgs” are a big deal for elected officials and their supporters.

There are the formalities of officials elected last November being sworn-in, speeches looking ahead and the appointments to various boards and positions. And sometimes, as was the case here, a nice, post-meeting food spread featuring shrimp and beef Wellington.

“Pomp and circumstance” to be sure, as Commissioner Stephen Shaw noted.

Shaw was sworn-in to a new term on the board, as were Deborah Smith and John Krickus. Likewise for Surrogate Heather Darling, who was reelected.

It’s common for candidates and like-minded souls to make as many of these events as possible.

Bramnick talked about maybe going down to Gloucester County after leaving Morris. That’s a long ride, but when you want to be governor, you can’t worry about that.

In the same vein, Democrat Josh Gottheimer sent out a release highlighting his attendance at Teaneck’s reorganization, where he swore in some members. He wants to be governor too.

Phil and Tammy Murphy are not running for anything – one presumes – but a check of their public schedule shows them popping up at reorg meetings in Somerset County, Bergen County and elsewhere around the state.

During these meetings, It is common for officials – county commissioners in this case – to speak at length about the virtues of their domain. That is quite common in Morris, where the rule of thumb is that the county is not merely the best in New Jersey, but one of the best in the nation.

Republican commissioners never tire of quoting Murphy, who said that Morris County “runs like a top.” That was when the governor visited a Covid vaccination site.

Shaw, however, was a bit philosophical about all this, noting that Morris has been around a long time. It, in fact, predates the United States, having been founded in 1738.

He said credit for many of the attributes the county has – a great park system, good services, a collection of appealing communities – must go to the hundreds of those who served the county before the current crop of commissioners. It was a worthy acknowledgement.

There was another meaningful moment.

As a body, the Morris commissioners have been strong supporters of Ukraine and Israel after the Russian and Hamas attacks respectively. They have attended many services at temples and Ukrainian churches.

The Russian invasion was in 2022 and the Hamas attack in 2023.

Time moves on and memories fade, which was something newly re-elected Smith addressed.

After stressing the board’s collective support for Ukraine and Israel, she said:

“It is deeply troubling to witness the growing apathy toward these struggles and the rise of anti-Semitic statements, often amplified by misinformation and ignorance.”

It was serious, but very welcome, commentary.