Harold Wirths, who resigned last summer after six years as Gov. Chris Christie's state labor commissioner, is seeking the Republican nomination in the 24th district
HARDYSTON -- A former member of Gov. Chris Christie's cabinet is running for a seat in the state Assembly.
Harold Wirths, who resigned in August after six years as Christie's state labor commissioner, filed paperwork Friday declaring his Republican primary candidacy in New Jersey's 24th legislative district.
"It's no secret. I'm in 100 percent," Wirths, 51, said Tuesday.
Wirths said, if elected, he will resign from the State Parole Board, to which he was nominated by Christie upon exiting as commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The Republican-dominated 24th District includes all of Sussex County, Mount Olive in Morris County and eleven municipalities in Warren County.
In officially entering the June 6 primary, Wirths said he is teaming up with two of the district's three Republican incumbents -- state Sen. Steve Oroho and Assemblyman Parker Space.
All 120 seats in the New Jersey Legislature are on the ballot this year.
"I'm honored to be running with those two," Wirths said of Oroho and Space.
Space, contacted Tuesday night, confirmed Wirths' account.
"We're on the same petition," Space said, referring to the gathering of signatures to qualify for the ballot.
That arrangement would appear to leave Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus out in the cold.
Phoebus was elected in 2015 on a ticket with Oroho and Space after former Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose decided not to seek re-election.
Asked about Phoebus' plans, Wirths said, "I'm not exactly sure what Gail is doing."
Space said he is under the impression that his former running mate "wants to spend more time with her kids in Colorado."
Phoebus did not immediately return a phone call.
The petition filing deadline for the primary is April 3.
Wirths, a Hardyston resident, spent a decade on the Sussex County freeholder board prior to being chosen by Christie as labor commissioner in 2010.
He listed his wife, Deborah Wirths, as his campaign treasurer on his candidacy declaration with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. It was signed last Friday and received by the agency on Monday.
Wirths said that he, Space and Oroho are planning a formal announcement of their partnership in the next couple of weeks.
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.