• Todd Sherer had been considering a run to become the next chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Committee, following the future departure of current chair Lou Stellato.
• Sherer has decided to step back from this position and has issued an official endorsement of fellow Democrat Paul Juliano for the job.

Todd Sherer of Mahwah, who had felt out a run to succeed Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Lou Stellato, tonight formally backed Paul Juliano to succeed Stellato.

“We are all grateful for the leadership Lou Stellato has and continues to provide as Chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Committee and his retirement will leave enormous shoes to fill,” Sherer said in a statement. “While neither his departure nor its potential timing is certain, Chairman Stellato’s announcement has prompted a new sense urgency among Bergen Democrats to discuss the future of our party.

“It is no secret that Paul Juliano and I have each been encouraged by members of the Democratic Committee to run for County Chairman, a position we shared a mutual interest in.  However, after much thought and consideration, I do not believe that now is the right time for me to pursue the chairmanship.  I am, however, no less committed to helping Bergen County Democrats succeed and believe that Paul is the right person to lead the party at this time.

“Paul and I came up in politics together, working side by side in the trenches of Democratic campaigns.   I have seen the magnitude of his efforts and the great lengths he will go to advance Democratic candidates and progressive causes.   We have spoken extensively about inclusiveness and share a common conviction in Democratic ideals, which includes ensuring all Democratic constituencies have a seat at the table.  For these reasons among many others, he has earned my support to serve as Chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Committee and I have offered to assist him in any way possible to ensure continued success and progress for Democrats in Bergen County.”

Juliano responded with a statement of his own.

“Under Lou Stellato’s leadership, Bergen County Democrats have achieved unprecedented success and for as long as he chooses to remain Chairman of the party, he has my continued support.  Since Lou announced his future intentions to retire, the outpouring of support and encouragement I have received from committee members, including my friend Todd Sherer, has been overwhelming and I look forward to having continued conversations with Bergen Democrats about the future and direction of our party.

“It’s an honor to have the support of someone who has played such a pivotal role in our party’s success for many years. As a true grassroots leader, Todd Sherer has helped grow our party in the northern part of the county and his efforts have helped elect Democrats at every level – often in places where Democrats have not traditionally been competitive, including the 5th Congressional District.  His Saturday morning group, which regularly attracts 200 activists and has become a mandatory stop for candidates running both locally and statewide, is evidence of the impact Todd has had. Most importantly, Todd is not only a great Democrat, he is a great person and a close friend, and I look forward to working with him to help Democrats in Bergen County and New Jersey reach new heights.

“Looking ahead, we have critical state legislative and Freeholder races this year. We can and will elect a Democratic president along with re-electing our Congressional delegation in 2020 and Bergen County will re-elect Governor Murphy to a second term in 2021 along with our Democratic legislators. I am confident that by working together, our party has a bright future and we can build on the incredible success we have achieved up and down the ballot.”