The outcome of Clark committee races could be key to any challenge to Union County Democratic Committee Chairman Nick Scutari, a source told InsiderNJ.

Tonight Scutari lost Linden Committee, and Roselle seats.

Roughly the outcome was 38-34 for Scutari rival Mayor Derek Armstead in the chair’s home town of Linden.

“The committee is too close to call,” a Scutari ally protested. “We have a tie. There’s ten races between the margin on provisionals.”

The Democratic Party chairman chipped away a little in Union Township, home base to rival state Senator Joe Cryan.

Cryan ally Mayor Colleen Maher won Fanwood seats (see the numbers below).

It was fluid, but at this particular moment, what it added up to, the source said, was Scutari’s control as chairman possibly hanging on the little town of Clark.

If Clark comes through for the Cryan forces, then a hard eye will fall on challenging Scutari’s chairmanship, which he won last year in a tilt with Mahr, only to stand astride a mangled county.

But if it comes through for Scutari, the chair could come away tonight with a win.

A source close to Scutari said his allies are indeed confident of a slight pick up – and overall countywide net gain – to insulate the chairman.

But it wasn’t a good look.

Still, Union county chairmen have a history of losing municipal chairmanships. The late Charlotte DeFillipo lost Hillside and stayed chair. The late Jerry Green lost Plainfield chair and was still Union county chair.

Fun fact.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

By Wednesday morning, Scutari forces claimed a net gain of seats. They lost some in Linden and Roselle. Those were offset by gains in Union Twp. Then gains in the suburbs: Summit, Cranford, Clark.