Republicans elect new chairman

By Nathan Mayberg
SPARTA — Jerry Scanlan, currently the vice-chairman of the Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees, has been elected chairman of the county's Republican Committee.

Scanlan, previosly the second vice-chairman of the committee, defeated the current third-vice-chairman of the committee, Don Ploetner, at an election held at the Sussex County Technical School in Sparta on Tuesday.

The vote tally was 93-61, Sussex County Republican Committee acting chair Jill Space said.

Scanlan will replace Ailish Hambel, who resigned amid a contentious Republican primary in June for county freeholder and for state assembly.

Ploetner, 34, of Sparta, runs I-Deal Acquisitions, a concierge purchasing service for boats and automobiles.

Ploetner said Scanlan "will be a good leader. He has big shoes to fill."

Scanlan couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

"We both have the party's best interests at heart," Ploetner said.

Assemblyman Parker Space said he thinks "Jerry is going to do a great job."

Scanlan worked hard to get the votes, he said.

"Either one of them would have been good candidates," Space said.