For years, if not generations, Morris County Republicans fought each other – bitterly at times – in the primary. Once that ended and the dust settled, they mended fences – sort of — and won the general election, which was almost an afterthought.

No longer.

This year, the only state Legislative race is a special election in District 25 and incumbent Republicans, Sen. Anthony M. Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, are on the offensive.

Those watching Monday Night Football saw two strikingly different ads for Bucco and Dunn.

One was a positive spot talking about bipartisanship and the work incumbents are doing to help residents and businesses cope with the pandemic.

The other was a negative spot attacking Democrats Rupande Mehta and Darcy Draeger, who are running for Senate and Assembly respectively, for backing a radical leftist agenda. For example, they were described as supporters of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Good heavens!

They may be good reasons for the Republicans’ aggressive ways.

Recent figures show Republicans outnumber Dems in the district by almost 5,000; two years ago, the gap was more than 9,000.