Passaic Sheriff Candidate Adamo Was a Registered Republican Less Than One Month Before Receiving County Democratic Machine Endorsement

Adamo Voting History Obtained Via OPRA Request Shows Extensive Record of Voting Republican

PATERSON, NJ — Passaic County Democratic party boss John Currie officially endorsed Thomas Adamo for Sheriff on March 9 — but according to newly released public records obtained by the Speziale for Sheriff campaign, Adamo was a registered Republican less than a month earlier and very quietly switched his party registration on February 14. The Speziale campaign submitted an Open Public Records Act request for Adamo’s full voting history to the Passaic County Superintendent of Elections, and the resulting document includes several explosive revelations:

• Adamo was a registered Republican for nearly 30 years, from when he first registered to vote on 7/18/94 until just over a month ago on 2/14/24
• As a Republican, Adamo was a frequent voter — he voted in the 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Presidential Elections, which means he likely supported Republican candidates Bob Dole, George W. Bush, John McCain, Mitt Romney, and most troublingly Donald Trump
• Adamo voted in the Republican Primary elections in 2019, 2017, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996 and 1995, meaning he was an active, engaged member of the Republican Party

“Passaic County Democrats deserve an explanation from John Currie about why he betrayed the party by endorsing a Republican like Thomas Adamo for Sheriff,” said Speziale campaign spokeswoman Sofia Quintanar. “As a registered Republican during the Trump presidency, Adamo never once spoke out against the corruption, the incompetence and the assaults on our rights and our democracy that Trump engaged in. All we can assume based on that silence is that Adamo voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, and it’s very possible that he still supports Trump even now. Jerry Speziale is running for Sheriff as the only real Democrat in the race and as someone who has worked hard to support Democratic candidates and values — Thomas Adamo can’t say the same, and Passaic County Democratic voters won’t allow a Republican to take over the Sheriff’s Office.”

In addition to his voting record, Adamo’s ties to the Republican Party run deep in his own family. His father was a Republican Freeholder from 1988 to 1997 and was part of the last Republican majority in county government. His last minute party switch also raises questions about the county party’s endorsement, where Adamo was chosen to run on the unconstitutional county line in a backroom process with no public scrutiny just weeks after being a registered Republican.