Somerville, NJ – The Somerset County Young Republicans (SCYRs) are proud to endorse four rising stars this election cycle after launching a regional team program earlier this year. The SCYRs unanimously support Amber Murad for Somerset County Commissioner, Vinny Panico for LD-16 Assembly, Branden Agans for Manville Borough Council, and Christy Tierney for Montgomery Township Committee – four young Republicans dedicated to the residents of Somerset County.

“We are proud to support Amber, Vinny, Branden, and Christy. For us, it’s about supporting young candidates at all levels of government and inspiring more young people to get involved,” said SCYR Chair Maggie Cucci of Somerville. “Three of these candidates have backgrounds in education and the fourth in mental health. They are leaders on issues our generation cares about. The governing bodies of our state, our county, and each of our 21 towns could all stand to benefit from a millennial perspective.”

* Amber Murad is a member of the Watchung Board of Education and recently completed service on the town’s Historical and Recreation Committees. She is a successful management and operations professional and lives in Watchung with her husband Rehan and her two children. Amber is running for County Commissioner to bring honest, common sense solutions to Somerset County as well as restore confidence in the Commissioner Board. She is on a mission to get Somerset County back on the right track so that her children are able to grow up in the same safe and supportive community that our generation did, and be able to afford to stay here as adults, as many of us are struggling to.
* Vinny Panico is the Board of Education President of Hunterdon Central Regional School District, where he has successfully managed to implement fiscally responsible policies that have eliminated debt while expanding student programs and building new facilities. As an Assemblyman, he will prioritize job creation, education, and open space preservation. Raised in Readington and Branchburg, he is a successful millennial businessman and a commercial hot air balloon pilot, and is engaged to his high school sweetheart, Amanda.
* Branden Agans serves on the Manville Board of Education as well as on the Manville Joint Land Use Board. Like many Manville residents, he is Manville born and raised, and is the fourth generation of his family to live in town. He has dedicated his life to serving others, from being an Eagle Scout to working in a healthcare facility during the pandemic. Branden will join Mayor Onderko and the Borough Council in revitalizing Main Street and keeping Manville affordable.
* Christy Tierney is a mental health professional specializing in substance abuse treatment, having spent much of her professional career at behavioral healthcare facility Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead. Christy is fighting for balance and transparency on the Montgomery Township Committee, as well as for the restoration of responsible, forward-thinking budgeting to stabilize taxes.

Committed to supporting YRs for local office, the SCYRs will continue to provide strategic campaign support as well as financial resources to the four campaigns. The YR Executive Board are no strangers to local campaigns as its members have worked on various municipal, county, legislative, gubernatorial, and congressional campaigns.

“Amber, Vinny, Branden, and Christy have stepped up to serve their communities and we are proud to support them in any way we can,” said SCYR Vice Chair Tyler Seville of Bernards Township. “They understand the needs of Somerset County, and will continue the tradition of Republican leadership that has made it one of the most desirable places to live in the nation.”

Earlier this summer, the YRs co-hosted a Night at the Ballpark with the Hunterdon County Young Republicans and Panico for Assembly. All of the funds raised by the YRs will be committed to the local races. Attendees included the 2021 County Commissioner candidates Michael Kirsh and Amber Murad, Senate Candidate Mike Pappas, Assemblyman John DiMaio, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, Assembly Candidates Vinny Panico and Joe Lukac, former Freeholder Pat Walsh, Hunterdon County Freeholder Shaun Van Doren, and Somerset County Republican Chairman Tim Howes, along with several municipal elected officials and candidates.

Additionally, the SCYRs have launched three regional directors to support these campaigns. Dan Croson of Warren will cover the Northern Region of Somerset County, while Chris Gabbett of Bridgewater will cover the Central Region, and Ryan Weist of Hillsborough will cover the Southern Region.

“The role of the regional directors will be to lead the YR efforts on the ground across the county,” Cucci said. “Dan, Chris, and Ryan are great additions to our growing team, and taking a more localized approach to campaigns is important to us both from an organizational standpoint as well as a philosophical one. We want to maximize volunteer presence, along with understanding each town’s unique issues, which will help us understand our electorate better.”

For more information about the SCYRs, visit our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or email us at somcoyr@gmail.com.