Montgomery Mayor Wilson fails to break through the GOP barrier
By: Jake Uitti
MONTGOMERY The vote for the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders was closer than many expected, with voters re-electing incumbent candidate Republican Rick Fontana and Republican newcomer Jack Ciattarelli on Tuesday over Democrats Dennis Sullivan and Montgomery Township Mayor Louise Wilson.
With the vote, the Board of Chosen Freeholders maintains its Republican dominance, with all five members from the GOP.
Countywide, Mr. Fontana received 46,197 votes, Mr. Ciattarelli 44,422, Mayor Wilson 42,654 and Mr. Sullivan 41,370.
But Montgomery voters strongly backed their mayor and her running mate in the county contest. In Montgomery, Mayor Wilson received 4,220 votes and Mr. Sullivan, 3,654. On the Republican side, Mr. Ciattarelli received 2,918 votes and Mr. Fontana 2,899 votes.
"It was pretty darn close, it was a lot closer than they usually are," Mayor Wilson said Thursday of the county vote.
Despite the loss, Mayor Wilson said she felt good about the campaign, having no regrets.
"The things we were talking about resonated with people," the mayor said. "Primarily county taxes and spending and the whole issue of ethics and pay to play."
Mayor Wilson, who was the first freeholder candidate from Montgomery since Bob Kress ran in 1988, said there were several areas in the county that she and her running mate were focusing on to garner votes.
"We needed to do well in Bridgewater, and we needed to do well in Hillsborough. I think the other side put a lot of time and effort into Hillsborough and into sort of turning the bypass into a real black-and-white issue," she said.
Mayor Wilson trailed her Republican rivals in Hillsborough, receiving 4,998 votes to Mr. Fontana’s 5,711 and Mr. Ciattarelli’s 5,598. Mr. Sullivan received 4,812 votes. Mayor Wilson also trailed in Bridgewater Township, receiving 5,409 votes to Mr. Fontana’s 7,311 and Mr. Ciattarelli’s 6,854. Mr. Sullivan received 5,282 votes.
The Hillsborough Bypass has been a longstanding point of contention between Hillsborough and Montgomery townships. Hillsborough Township is calling for a roadway to ease traffic congestion. The expanded highway as proposed would end in Montgomery, a situation, Montgomery officials have strongly opposed.
If the bypass ended in Montgomery, they have said, it would generate a great deal of traffic on the already congested township roads.
"I take exception to some of what has been said by Hillsborough local officials about what Montgomery’s position is," Mayor Wilson said, adding that Montgomery is not a staunch opponent to a bypass for Hillsborough. Rather, she said, Montgomery is against having the bypass end in Montgomery by the intersection of Routes 601 and 206.
"The people of Hillsborough might think differently about the whole project if they were fully informed," she said. "However, I don’t think we lost this election because of the bypass."
With the election over, Ms. Wilson said she hopes Montgomery and Hillsborough officials can open up a better dialogue on the bypass issue.
All things considered, the mayor said her campaign has been a good experience, one with plenty of learning experiences.
"It’s very different campaigning on the county level versus the local level," she said. "You’re talking to people in very different kinds of places with very different issues. The county is a diverse place. There are a whole lot of people in this county that are hurting because of a tax burden."
She said it was too soon to tell if she would consider running for higher office again, adding, "I’m very happy in Montgomery and I’m very happy on the Township Committee."
Mayor Wilson said she hoped the current Board of Chosen Freeholders would work to make the county more affordable.
"Affordability is wrapped up in economic stability and jobs and job growth," she said.
Despite the economic problems the mayor sees in Somerset County, she said the county is a place she can see herself living in for the rest of her life.
In the end, Mayor Wilson said there were many positives to be taken from the race and she congratulated her opponents on their victory and on running a campaign that never got ugly.
And locally, she said, "I could not be more proud of the local campaigns. It was gratifying and humbling at the same time to see that kind of support coming from our town for me and for the Democrats higher up the ticket."