Republican.
https://nypost.com/2023/02/09/nj-counci ... in-a-week/
According to cops the two are not related. But NJ is not exactly "Murderland" so I don't think it is too odd to wonder if this is something more.
The suspect in the second killing is also dead by suicide, and apparently he was a former work colleague.
Anyway, its probably not a pattern but it is still weird enough to be worthy of noticing.