By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Despite early mud-slinging at the Republicans, the Mercer County Democratic Convention managed to introduce a new slate of candidates for the new 16th legislative district and re-endorse incumbents in the 14th and 15th districts.
A lawyer, a councilman and an art teacher were chosen for the state Senate and Legislature to run in the Princetons’ new district that spans Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
Maureen Vella of Hillsborough is challenging incumbent Republican Christopher Bateman for the Senate seat. The mother of three is a lawyer with her own firm in Metuchen.
”Being the youngest of the children, I’ve always asked ‘why can’t I?’ Being the only girl in the family, I’ve always said ‘my brothers can do it, so can I.’”
She has been involved in her community, serving on many committees and boards.
”I want to make a difference and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to do so,” she said. “I love what I do, I help people help themselves and I encourage them to make decisions to get through the dark days and to plan their goals and to achieve them.”
As someone who has always given help to others, she is now asking for help for herself help to win the election.
”The Republicans think the redistricting of the 16th is a tragedy … what are they going to say when we win the 16th in November?”
Incumbent Republican Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi and Assemblywoman Denise Coyle are being challenged by two Democratic Party newcomers.
A resident of Basking Ridge, Ms. Coyle is moving to Princeton to remain in the district.South Brunswick Councilman Joe Camarota is “a lifelong Democrat who believes in the ideals of the party.”
”I am looking forward to working with the (National Democratic Convention) to deliver our message, we must work harder than ever to let the electorate know what our core philosophies are and how we are willing to stand and fight for them,” he said. “In order to succeed we need to go back to the basics … but what makes us stand out is our passion we have for civic service and responsibility … that separates us from our opponents.”
He wants to speak up “for those in need, our friends in labor and working families,” he said “To represent them and protect them so their voices are heard.”
Marie Corfield of Flemington rounds out the ticket.
”As of last week I was the only Democrat on the ticket in an overwhelmingly Republican district … the redistricting gods shown down on me.”
An art teacher in an elementary school who is a single mom to two children, she was raised in Carney in a Republican-Irish Catholic-Italian family.
”From the moment I was old enough to understand what my relatives were discussing around the family dinner table, it didn’t make sense to me,” she said. “I was a liberal born into a conservative family and I survived.”
She also confronted Gov. Chris Christie last fall about remarks about teachers.
”It’s the stuff of You Tube legend and quite frankly is the reason I’m standing here today,” she said. “Last October if you had asked me if I was going to run for state office I would have said ‘you’re crazy.’”
In the 14th District, state Sen. Linda Greenstein, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo and Assemblyman Dan Benson were re-christened as the party’s choice.
”One of the best things about this team is this team wins,” said Mr. Benson, who is also a Freeholder.
Fifteenth District candidates Sen. Shirley Turner, Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora were also re-endorsed.
”I kid you not we have a tough fight on our hands. This new map is more competitive … we’re loosing every day … this governor is selling a false bid of goods, there is no shared sacrifice,” said Sen. Turner. “We’ve got to fight for jobs … we can’t allow this Republican governor to privatize education … and deny everyone the American dream.”
The Democrats also made endorsements in February when the organization held a County Convention to fill the freeholder vacancy created when Dan Benson became an assemblyman on Feb. 5.
Mr. Benson filled the Assembly vacancy created when Linda Greenstein won her Senate seat. Sam Frisby of Trenton won the race for Mr. Benson’s former freeholder seat. During that convention, the Democrats also endorsed the incumbents running for county office: Brian Hughes for county executive, Jack Kemler for sheriff, Diane Gerofsky for surrogate, Lucylle Walter, John Cimino and Sam Frisby for freeholder.
Currently, the county executive is spearheading the critical effort to construct a new criminal courthouse in downtown Trenton to replace the existing, century old courthouse, with the largest, most complex public construction project in the county’s history.

