Mary Brienza

By: centraljersey.com
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Republican Councilman John O’Sullivan has announced he will seek his party’s nomination to run against incumbent and former Mercer County Freeholder Daniel Benson for the 14th District seat in the state Assembly.
"The average person needs to have someone experienced in local government to knock sense into these people (in Trenton)," Mr. O’Sullivan said during the annual Republican dinner dance at Pierre’s last Friday night. "It will be an uphill battle."
Mr. Benson, a Democrat, was voted into the Assembly seat, formerly held by state Sen. Linda Greenstein during a special two-county Democratic convention last month in Plainsboro.
Democratic Councilman Joseph Camorata tried for the seat at the convention, but lost to Mr. Benson and fellow Mercer County Freeholder John Cimino on the second ballot.
Mr. Cimino lost his bid to Mr. Benson in the third round of voting 112-102.
Mr. Benson will serve in the post until the general election in November, where he is expected to seek a full term.
Mr. O’Sullivan originally planned to announce his candidacy at a later date, but his wife, Jacqueline, put a campaign button on his jacket calling him an assembly candidate.
Ms. O’Sullivan said she wanted the announcement made at this event because, "these are the people who support him the most."
Linda Geevers of West Windsor is also going to be running for the seat, said Middlesex GOP chairman Samuel Thompson.
Ms. Geevers is in her second term and sixth year on the Township Council in that community.
Before that, Ms. Geevers said she served on the Board of Education in West Windsor from 1999-2005 when she won her seat on the council.
Mr. O’Sullivan knows the issues and "works diligently for South Brunswick," said Lynda Woods Cleary, who convinced Mr. O’Sullivan to try for the Assembly seat. "He will transfer hard work to Trenton."
"(John) saved people of South Brunswick a lot of money," said Ms. Woods Cleary. "He would do the same for the people of this legislative district."
Mr. O’Sullivan won his seat on the Township Council in a special 2009 election to fill an open seat after Deputy Mayor Carol Barrett won her first term as a Middlesex County Freeholder.
Democrat Mac Shah was appointed to the council seat and faced O’Sullivan in the general election, which O’Sullivan won by fewer than 200 votes.
Mr. O’Sullivan and any other candidates for the seat must file a petition with at least 100 signatures by April 11 for the June 7 Primary Election, according to the State Division of Elections website.
The state also cautions candidates that redistricting based on the 2010 U.S. Census has not yet been completed, which could change the geographic make-up of the 14th District, according to the website.
Currently, Cranbury, Hamilton (Mercer), Jamesburg, Monroe (Middlesex), Plainsboro, South Brunswick and West Windsor are in the district.