"Write-in candidates are very common, but their performance is almost universally a novelty," said Ramapo College of New Jersey Political Science Professor Jeremy Teigan.

But Republican Brad Myhre, who defeated incumbent Democrat Warren Cooper in the 2015 Frenchtown mayoral race, is not new to politics.

He has worked as Assemblyman Erik Peterson's chief of staff and Congressman Leonard Lance's manager of community relations, and before that he served on the Frenchtown Borough Council from 2009 to 2014. His time on the council included a stint as council president.

"Had he been a political amateur, he would have been doomed to the usual destiny of write-in candidates," Teigan said.

Instead, Myhre was able to mobilize his deep community support with a door-to-door campaign, social media and support from local Republicans and party officials in the county.

"I'm looking forward to the job," Myhre said Thursday. "I'm very humbled and very excited about the opportunity, and I appreciate the people of Frenchtown giving me their support."

Myhre said he left the council to pursue an investment property outside of the borough, and when he returned to Frenchtown he intended on running, but was barred from the primary election because he had not lived in the borough for a full year following his return.

Then, in September, Myhre started putting out feelers and examining if he could "really put all the pieces together."

In October, he launched his write-in campaign, and one month later he beat Cooper by just 51 votes.

Myhre received 236 votes, while 185 voted for Cooper.

"What we have here is a confluence of a few things," Teigan said. "You have a previously elected official, a small electorate with a low turnout election. To have a successful write-in campaign it requires a perfect storm of those conditions because it's very difficult to mobilize a bigger community."

Of the 973 registered voters in the borough, 462 (47 percent) showed up to the polls, and although Teigan said these instances are rare nationwide, New Jersey has many small municipalities that can create these conditions.

Oceanport write-in candidate John "Jay" Coffey also defeated Mayor Michael Mahon on Tuesday by 228 votes.

Conceding on Facebook, Cooper wrote "Good morning, Frenchtown.

To all of you who supported me yesterday and for the past four years, I am deeply grateful. Thank you." In a later post he congratulated Myhre and wished him well.

"Warren and I ran a very civil campaign, and we get along personally," Myhre said.

Ahead of joining council in January, Myhre said he's ready to tackle big issues in Frenchtown and what's to get to work on the budget, shared service agreements, grant funding for infrastructure improvements and fixing the sewer debt repayment structure.

"We've got to find a way to ease some of that burden somehow," he said.

Cooper was not immediately available for additional comment.