By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
Princeton Borough Councilman Andrew Koontz announced Monday that he won’t continue to seek a seat on the county Board of Freeholders after having come home empty-handed from the Mercer County Democratic convention on Saturday.
Mr. Koontz was passed over by the county organization for the two open ballot spots as well as the nomination to fill the unexpired seat of Freeholder Elizabeth Muoio, who resigned March 1 to take a county planning job.
At the convention, the county Democrats selected incumbent Lucy Walter and former Hamilton Township Council candidate John Cimino for their full-term candidate slate in November and chose Hamilton Township Councilman Dan Benson to fill the vacant seat, according to Jenny Crumiller, the county Democrats’ second vice chairwoman.
Mr. Benson will now serve until the November election, when the seat will be available in a special election.
The candidates who didn’t receive the official Democratic ballot positions can still run in the November election, Ms. Crumiller said.
On Saturday, Ms. Walter easily won the necessary 60 percent of the vote in the first round, when incumbent Tony Mack was eliminated. In subsequent rounds, Mr. Cimino defeated Mercer County Central Labor Council President Mike Maloney, Trenton activist Alysia Welch-Chester and Mr. Koontz.
Mr. Koontz could have forced another round with Mr. Cimino, who fell slightly below the required 50 percent vote total, but decided to concede to end Saturday’s “marathon session” of voting, he said Monday.
”We came close. A lot of people are telling me to hang in there and try again and I’m committed to doing just that,” he said, noting his belief that there will likely be openings on the freeholder board in the near future. “There was substantial support in Princeton and outside of Princeton, which I think can be built upon in years to come.”
Mr. Koontz said he will remain on Borough Council but continue “getting out and talking to all kinds of Democrats all over the county. . . to build on those relationships there. I think it’s healthy for Princeton.”
