Cancel Culture and Morris Township Dems - Part 1

John Arvanites lost the endorsement of the Morris Township Democratic Committee in March 2024 after publicly criticizing the party’s leadership. Specifically, he accused them of engaging in favoritism by rewarding top donors with township jobs and municipal contracts. These comments, made during internal discussions and later echoed publicly, sparked backlash from party insiders.

As a result of his dissent, the party chose not to endorse Arvanites for re-election and instead threw its support behind Bud Ravitz in April 2024, pairing him on the slate with sitting Mayor Cathy Wilson. Ravitz had previously run in 2023 and lost narrowly—by just eight votes—after a legal battle over provisional ballots. The leadership viewed him as a loyal and viable candidate to reclaim the seat.

Arvanites was denied the party line due to his criticism of local Democratic leadership and their internal practices, a move that signaled a deepening divide within the Morris Township Democrats heading into the 2024 election season.