Monmouth County GOP and the Disappearing Alex Zdan Articles
Archived records show Central Jersey Newswire removed favorable Alex Zdan coverage as New Jersey GOP county conventions approach the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
January 6 — not that one — was a busy day for New Jersey Republicans. As news circulated announcing that Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon had been elected chair of the state GOP¹, something quieter was happening online. Articles about Alex Zdan began disappearing from Central Jersey Newswire, an “independent outlet” with previously documented ties to the Monmouth County Republican Committee.
The timing raises a question: on the eve of county endorsements for the 2026 U.S. Senate race, does this digital cleanup signal shifting Republican support within Monmouth County?
New Jersey’s unique county line system gives local party committees unusual influence over primary elections. In many counties, an endorsement by party leadership can shape ballot position and, by extension, the likely outcome of a primary.
This year, Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Cory Booker is seeking re-election. On the Republican side, no consensus candidate has emerged. That vacuum has made early county conventions especially significant.
County conventions are scheduled throughout February and March². Last week, Passaic County Republicans endorsed Alex Zdan for the U.S. Senate race against Booker. The endorsement positions Zdan as an early favorite in at least one key North Jersey county.
But the picture in Monmouth County appears more complicated.
