MOUNTAIN LAKES – This was a simple fundraiser – the type of thing that happens all the time.

But on this night, running for Morris County Commissioner seemed almost irrelevant to the latest events of the world.

And so when Commissioner Tayfun Selen addressed a crowd of supporters backing his reelection Tuesday night, he began by condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel.

It was, he said, something that weighed heavily on his mind. Selen apologized for delving into foreign policy, but suggested it could not be helped.

“This is really not about Jews against Muslims, Arabs against Israelis,” said Selen, who was born in Turkey.

“This is good … against evil, that’s what it is.”

The crowd responded with applause.

Getting back to more pedestrian concerns, Selen is seeking reelection against Democrat Jonathan Sackett. There is only one seat up this year on the seven-member board of commissioners.

Given the fact, only one Democrat has been elected to what was then the “freeholder” board in more than 100 years, Selen is clearly the favorite to win reelection.

He spoke about how simply great Morris County is, noting a good economy (low unemployment), a great community college and about 20,000 acres of parkland.

Selen said all this makes the county not merely the best in the state, but one of the best in the country – assuming one can actually measure that sort of thing.

Greatness aside, there is a major issue confronting the county – plans to build a new courthouse. The original Morris County Courthouse is very much an historical treasure, but somewhat obsolete these days.

All major public projects can be controversial and there already is an online petition circulating in opposition to the idea.

But this night was not a time for a debate.

Laura Ali, the county GOP chair, praised Selen as someone who is willing to forgive adversaries.

“That’s so unique and so rare in politics,” she said.

Selen does have some people to forgive. He was involved in two somewhat acrimonious primaries the last two years.

He lost a race for the party’s CD-11 nomination in 2022, but this past June, he won the nomination to run again for commissioner.

One of those on the “other side” of this year’s Morris Republican divide was Commissioner Tom Mastrangelo, who unsuccessfully challenged the party’s choice, Joe Pennacchio, for a state senate nomination in LD-26.

Surprisingly perhaps, Mastrangelo showed up to Selen’s fundraiser.,

They posed for pictures.

Maybe there is something to this forgiveness stuff.