Voters go to the polls Tuesday to decide primary contests across Central Jersey, and though this is only June -- the "real" election remains five months away in November -- a number of fierce battles have emerged.
While U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine is a virtual lock in the Democratic primary, seven Republicans are duking it out for their party's nomination. Frontrunners Doug Forrester and Bret Schundler are facing former Bergen County Freeholder Todd Caliguire, Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano, Bogota Mayor Steve Longegan, Morris County Freeholder John Murphy and businessman Robert Schroeder.
Plainfield's races have become the most notable in Central Jersey. They feature an incumbent mayor stripped of his support from the county Democratic organization, a vigorous challenger who has pulled out all the stops and two City Council seats also hanging in the balance, and the outcome could alter the Queen City's political course for years to come.
Mayor Albert T. McWilliams' main opponent, Board of Education member Sharon Robinson-Briggs, has seized on a recent upswing in homicides -- 17 in the past 17 months -- to make public safety the centerpiece of her campaign.
McWilliams, meanwhile, has focused on the economic changes of his first eight years in City Hall and argued that crime continues to drop. He also touts various improved economic factors, from increased construction permits to new development downtown.
The contest for Assembly seats in the 22nd Legislative District has taken on crowded proportions partly because of the split in the Democratic organization in Plainfield. It has prompted McWilliams to front his own pair of candidates for the two available Assembly seats.
Democratic incumbents Jerry Green of Plainfield and Linda Stender of Fanwood are challenged by Plainfield residents Charles F. Booker and Barbara Todd Kerr, as well as Bill Campbell of Green Brook, who is running under his own steam. The two GOP Assembly contenders are running unopposed.
The District 23 Assembly race is even more complicated this year -- but on the GOP side. Voters in Hunterdon and Warren counties will pick two Republican Assembly candidates from a jam-packed field of six. That situation developed after incumbent Connie Myers decided not to run for re-election.
And as in the District 22 contest, the issue of taxes has figured prominently.
Running for the GOP nominations are: Hunterdon County Freeholders Frank Fuzo and Marcia Karrow; Warren County Freeholder John DiMaio; incumbent Assemblyman Michael Doherty; Bloomsbury Mayor Mark Peck; and Washington Borough Councilwoman Susan Wagner-Glaser.
The Republican organization in Hunterdon County has avoided choosing sides in the race by taking the unusual step of endorsing both Fuzo and Karrow.
Also, to focus on running for Assembly, Fuzo also opted not to run again for his freeholder seat. There are three Republicans -- Raritan Township Mayor Peter Kinsella, Frenchtown Mayor Ron Sworen and attorney Erik Peterson -- jockeying for that position.
Back in Union County, the battle for three open freeholder seats is hot, too. Eight Democrats and five Republicans are pushing for their parties' nominations.
Incumbents Angel Estrada, Rick Proctor and Nancy Ward are looking to hold off challengers Marlene Abitanto, Robert L. Bender, Becky McHugh, George O'Grady and Rebecca L. Williams for the Democratic nomination.
On the Republican side, Albert Dill, Stuart Kline, Patricia Quattrocchi, Jeff Katz and Pete Peterson are trying to break the Democrats' unanimous lock on the freeholder board.
Property taxes and the county budget are the top issues in that race.
In Bedminster, after years of quiet primaries, strife has returned to the Republican primary as a write-in campaign has been mounted against incumbent Township Committeewoman and Mayor Amey Mesko in her quest for another three-year term. Running a write-in camaign against her is Robert Colatarci.
In several Hunterdon County towns, primary campaigns are being waged for municipal offices. In these towns, dominated by the Republican party, like Kingwood and Tewksbury, whoever wins the primary election is the overwhelming favorite to win in November.
