Wagner Withdraws Bid for Committee Re-election

Committeeman Bob Wagner, who was , has announced that he is withdrawing his bid.

A release from the township Republican organization on Monday said Wagner has accepted a position with the New Jersey Department of Labor that he will officially assume on July 2.

According to state law, Wagner would not be able to run for public office while being a government employee supported by federal funds. Wagner will be able to complete his term, which expires in December, according to the release.

“I have very much enjoyed my time on the Township Committee, and am sad to end it, but the law is the law,” Wagner said in a statement. “It has been a privilege to serve our community, and to be a part of some great accomplishments on its behalf, over the past nine years. I think that I’ve been able to leave Hillsborough a better place, which is what I set out to do. I’m now looking forward to serving the people of New Jersey in a wider capacity.”

The Hillsborough GOP organization will select a replacement for Wagner on the November ballot. In the release, party chair Dr. Steven Sireci said that the special meeting for endorsing a new candidate will be held soon, and the process should not take more than a couple of weeks.

Wagner served as mayor in 2005, and has also served as deputy mayor twice, according to the release. He was also a member of the Community Emergency Response Team as a trained EMT.

“It will be strange to run without him this year,” Mayor Carl Suraci said in a statement. " 'Suraci and Wagner' has been a successful team since 2003, both on campaign and in office, and it has been a constant pleasure throughout that time to work with Bob. All of us on Township Committee wish him well in his new job, but we also wish he could have been able to remain with us.”