“Hurley in the Morning” has learned and confirmed that Atlantic City incumbent City Councilman at Large, Jeffree Fauntleroy, II will bypass the June 8, 2021 Democratic Primary Election ... and he will instead take his campaign for re-election directly to the November 2, 2021 General Election.

It’s  a risky strategy, because the winners of the June 8, 2021 Primary election will be the prohibitive favorites to win the election ... because in Atlantic City, the winners of the Democratic Primary almost always win the General Election.

Democrats hold a more than 10 to 1 voter registration advantage versus Republicans.

Fauntleroy was left with few viable options when Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. previously announced that he would be running with incumbent Atlantic City Council President George Tibbitt and newcomers Bruce Weekes, Jr. and Stephenine Marshall on his ticket.

This left incumbent Councilmen Fauntleroy and Mo Delgado on the outside looking in.

Delgado will have to make his decision officially known by the end of today, which is the deadline to file candidate petitions for the June 8th Primary Election.

Former New Jersey Assemblyman Tom Foley will challenge Small in the Democratic Primary Election for Mayor.

Tom Forkin will be seeking the Republican Nomination for Mayor and faces no Primary Election challenger.

A wildcard matter is still to be decided. Atlantic City vote-by-mail potentate Craig Callaway is supporting a slate of challengers in the Democratic Primary Election for Atlantic City Council at Large.

This poses the greatest threat to Tibbitt, Weekes and Marshall.

That is because New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is returning elections to a mostly voting at the polls.

This means that Callaway’s efforts regarding the vote-by-mail process will take on more significance then last year.

When everyone received a vote-by-mail ballot last year, it made The Callaway organization efforts somewhat muted.

In the 2019 New Jersey Assembly races, Callaway was the difference-maker in Vince Mazzeo and John Armato defeating John Risley and Phil Guenther.

Risley and Guenther held commanding leads before Callaway’s vote-by-mail efforts were added to the final vote totals.

Callaway was also the deciding factor in Senator Chris Brown versus Collin Bell in 2017. Had Bell obtained Callaway’s support, he would have won the coveted District 2 Senate.

Instead, Brown had Callaway’s backing and he won.

Brown will not seek re-election; leaving the most likely scenario: Former New Jersey Assemblyman Vince Polistina versus Mazzeo for the open seat.

In the Assembly race it will be Don Guardian and Claire Swift versus Armato and Caren Fitzpatrick.

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