GOP opponents say they accomplished much; Rocky Hill voters make choices
By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — The three Democratic winners in Tuesday’s Township Committee race attributed teamwork as a key to their success.
Incumbents Louise Wilson and Brad Fay were elected to the two three-year seats that were and political newcomer Mike Joye took the one-year seat.
”I’m very pleased that all of us won,” Ms. Wilson said. “That was very important for us. We ran as a team and worked as a team.” Ms. Wilson currently serves as the township’s deputy mayor and was mayor from 2002 to 2006.
”I think we bring different perspectives, skill sets, and different types of experience and I think the voters wanted that,” she added.
Mr. Joye, an attorney who recently was with the law firm LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene and MacRae and currently maintains a general law practice in Princeton, also classified the win as a group victory rather than as a personal gain.
”What’s really nice about all three of us winning is that it really tells us that the voters in the township see that the township is going in the right direction,” Mr. Joye said.
In results that include absentee ballots, Ms. Wilson was the top vote-getter, with 2,544 votes. Mr. Fay received 2,298 votes. Trailing in the contest for the three-year term seats were Republicans Patricia Graham with 2,170 votes and Frank Drift with 2,139 votes.
In the race for the one-year seat, Mr. Joye received 2,334 votes, defeating Republican Kacey Dyer, who received 2,193 votes.
The Republican candidates remained optimistic, despite their loss.
”I don’t feel like I lost. I’m a winner,” said Mr. Drift, who owns several businesses in town including Dutchtown nursery. “This town has more awareness of what’s going on than they have in the last 10 years.”
Ms. Dyer also portrayed the Republican campaign as an accomplishment.
”I think we ran a great campaign and I’m really proud of our campaign,” Ms. Dyer said. “I hope the huge amount of deficit stops. At the forefront of people’s minds as well is the lack of listening to the public — the five-minute rule, the gabbling, and them not having Wednesday meetings. Hopefully, we did bring awareness to these things.”
Mr. Fay, chief operating officer and co-founder of the Keller Fay Group, said, he’s looking forward to his continuing service on the committee.
”I found the last year serving on the committee to be tremendously rewarding and I’m very pleased to continue the work I have started,” he said. “We’re making great strides on the Skillman Village.
”And we’re doing important work on the school funding issue. This is an opportunity to continue that work,” Mr. Fay added.
In the Rocky Hill Borough Council election, the recently appointed Councilwoman Linda Goldman and Republican incumbent James Banks took two three-year terms, defeating Republican Thomas Roshetar. Incumbent Courtney White beat out Marguerite Peggy Merritt for a one-year unexpired term. Ms. Goldman was the top vote-getter, receiving 170 votes to 165 for Mr. Banks and 114 for Mr. Roshetar. Ms. White received 162 votes and Ms. Merritt received 110.

