TRENTON, N.J. — Three prominent Northwest New Jersey Republicans are officially seeking another term in Trenton.
State Sen. Doug Steinhardt and Assemblymen John DiMaio and Erik Peterson announced that they will run together for reelection in 2027 in the 23rd Legislative District, which includes portions of Warren, Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
The trio, which includes the Assembly Republican leader and a former NJGOP chairman, plans to campaign on affordability, election integrity, government spending and constituent services.
“Every time Trenton comes up with another way to spend money, somebody back home has to pay for it,” said Steinhardt, a former state Republican chairman who joined the Senate in December 2022. “Taxpayers deserve someone who asks the tough questions before the money is spent, not after the damage is done.”
DiMaio, who has served in the Assembly since 2009 and led its Republican caucus since 2022, emphasized constituent services.
“Titles don’t mean much if you can’t help the people who sent you here,” DiMaio said. “That’s what public service is supposed to be about.”
“Our farms, small businesses and towns aren’t an afterthought,” Peterson said. “They’re worth fighting for, and I’ll never let Trenton forget it.”
The three Republicans also pledged to oppose policies advanced by Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill and the Democratic-controlled Legislature that they argue are making New Jersey increasingly unaffordable.
The announcement positions the incumbent Republican ticket for another campaign in 2027, when all 120 seats in the New Jersey Legislature will be on the ballot for Mikie Sherrill’s first midterm since becoming governor in January 2026.
“We’re a team, and we’re not finished,” DiMaio said.
