SOUTH BRUNSWICK – SB Councilman plans county freeholder bid

By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
   SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Township Councilman John O’Sullivan was one of two candidates selected by the Middlesex County Republican Organization to run for freeholder in June’s primary election, according to a press release.
   Mr. O’Sullivan was selected at The Middlesex County Republican Organization’s Nominating Convention on April 6 at The Forge in Woodbridge that was attended by more than 200 people, according to the release.
   ”I am honored to be the Republican Party’s candidate for freeholder in Middlesex County and I thank the members of the nominating convention for their endorsement,” Mr. O’Sullivan said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to serving the people of Middlesex County as their freeholder.”
   The GOP also picked South Amboy resident and former New York City government official Avi Duvdevani as a candidate for freeholder in the June primary, according to the release.
   Mr. O’Sullivan has been a member of the Township Council since defeating Democrat Mac Shah in a November 2009 special election.
   Mr. O’Sullivan will be running against Democratic freeholder incumbents Carol Barrett-Bellante and Charles E. Tomaro.
   Ms. Barrett-Balleante was on the Township Council from 1998 until 2009, and deputy mayor from 2001 until 2009, according to the Middlesex County freeholder website.
   Mr. Tomaro served on the Edison Township Council from 1996-2007 and again from 2010-2011, according to the website.
   Mr. O’Sullivan had previously announced he was running for state assembly at a February Republican event, but decided to run for freeholder instead after state redistricting put the township in primarily Republican District 16.
   As a result of the redistricting, South Brunswick will now be a part of District 16, which historically has a strong Republican presence.
   Mr. O’Sullivan was originally going to be running in District 14, and was possibly going to be facing Democratic incumbent Dan Benson in the election.
   Democrats from Mercer and Middlesex counties held a special election earlier this year to fill state Sen. Linda Greenstein’s vacant Assembly seat.
   Mr. O’ Sullivan said he realizes it will be an uphill battle to become the first Republican to serve on the board in about 20 years.