Somerville, NJ – The Somerset County Young Republicans (SCYRs) have announced their endorsement of eight candidates this election cycle, growing their Rising Stars program for the third consecutive year.

This year, the SCYRs have unanimously backed Suzanne Maeder for County Clerk, Amber Murad for County Commissioner, Christopher Petrosini and Mario Haddad for Somerville Borough Council, Nicolas Carra and Frank Del Rocco for Raritan Borough Council, and Ayush Nallapally and Jarrett Quick for Montgomery Township Committee.

Committed to supporting young Republican candidates for county and local office, the SCYRs provide strategic campaign support as well as financial resources to the Rising Stars candidates.

“We are beyond proud to support Amber, Ayush, Chris, Frank, Jarrett, Mario, Nick, and Suzanne this year. Our organization’s mission is all about electing young Republicans at every level of government and inspiring more young people to get involved in their community, so we couldn’t ask for anything better than to have eight highly qualified young candidates on the ballot in Column A this year,” said SCYRs Chair Josh Kutner of Somerset. “By nominating these candidates, our county and municipal Republican organizations, as well as our primary voters, have demonstrated their clear understanding that our communities benefit from giving young, solutions-oriented Republican leaders a seat at the table. Now it’s our job to help get them across the finish line this November.”

The SCYRs 2022 Rising Stars include:
* Amber Murad – A member of the Watchung Board of Education, Murad also serves on the Somerset County Open Space Advisory Committee and served on the town’s Historical and Recreation Committees. She is a successful management and operations professional and lives with her husband Rehan and her two children. Murad is running for County Commissioner to bring honest, common sense solutions to Somerset County as well as restore confidence in the Commissioner Board.

* Ayush Nallapally – A Montgomery native and political science and public policy student at Rutgers University, Nallapally previously served as an intern for Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign for Governor as well as an intern for the district office of State Senator Joseph Lagana, Assemblywoman Lisa Swain, and Assemblyman Christopher Tully. He is a Montgomery High School alumnus and a graduate of the New Jersey Youth Leadership Council, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting South Asian American youth participation and education at the local level of government.

* Christopher Petrosini – A former US Army Captain, Bronze Star recipient, and father of three, Petrosini is a Senior Director of Corporate Security, overseeing security and business planning for one of the world’s largest hospitality companies. A Military College of South Carolina graduate, he served with the Army’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3D Infantry Division, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

* Frank Del Rocco – A fourth generation Raritan resident, Del Rocco brings management experience from his local, family-owned business. He is also the grandson of the former Mayor of Raritan Borough who started the beloved Basilone Parade. An active community volunteer, Del Rocco is running for office to ensure responsible governance in the community he and his family call home.

* Jarrett Quick – A contract administrator for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Quick enjoys spending spare time working as a hockey referee in his community. He is a New England College graduate who lives with his wife and two children, and is looking to provide a check to the current all-Democrat township administration.

* Mario Haddad – A Political Advisor to the Permanent Mission of Qatar to the United Nations, Haddad is responsible for drafting political papers, meeting with foreign diplomats, and organizing political events. He is also a successful real estate broker and founder of an organization that provides tuition assistance for students below the poverty line. Haddad stands ready to take on an active role on the Somerville Borough Council.

* Nicolas Carra – A Raritan Borough Council member for 6 years, including 3 years as Council President, Carra is looking to continue to serve his community. He is a Rutgers University graduate and serves as Director of External Affairs for a statewide non-profit that provides aid and community resources to residents in need of critical services like water, energy, and housing. A Raritan native, Carra is also a former aide to State Senator Kip Bateman and one of the youngest elected officials in our region.

* Suzanne Maeder – A Manville Councilwoman who spearheaded the Borough’s new Economic Development Committee, Meader overhauled the vision for a resurgent Main Street. She is a University of Maryland graduate, a former English teacher, and previously served on the Manville Board of Health and Joint Land Use Board. Maeder and her husband have three children, who all have inherited their father’s sense of humor and their mother’s energy.

“It has been an honor meeting and supporting these impressive candidates. They truly are an inspiration,” explained SCYRs Vice Chair Tyler Seville of Bernards Township. “And that’s why we started the Rising Stars initiative – to build up and inspire the next generation of public leaders. All eight candidates bring a diversity of experiences and perspectives that our entire county will benefit from.”

For more information about the Somerset County Young Republicans and the Rising Stars candidates, visit their active Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, or email the SCYRs at somcoyr@gmail.com.