O’Brien defeats challenger in mayoral primary

By Adam C. Uzialko

SAYREVILLE — The borough’s four-term mayor officially received the nod to seek a fifth term after turning away a primary challenger for the Republican nomination.

Mayor Kennedy O’Brien, who has served in that role since 2000, defeated challenger and former Councilman Frank Bella by a vote of 437 to 129, attaining 77 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial results from the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office.

O’Brien took all but one of the 35 districts in Sayreville, tying Bella with one vote each in District 33, the southernmost district in the borough.

In the November general election, O’Brien will face incumbent Council President David McGill, who ran unopposed in the primary.

In addition, two three-year terms on the Democrat-controlled council will be available. On the ballot are incumbent Democrat Ricci Melendez and candidate Steven Grillo, who would replace McGill on the council. They will campaign against Republican challengers Pat Lembo and David Lewis.

Lembo narrowly lost in a bid last year, when he ran alongside former Councilwoman Lisa Eicher against incumbent Mary Novak and current Councilwoman Victoria Kilpatrick.

Freeholder, State Assembly race set

Incumbent Democratic freeholders Ronald Rios and H. James Polos are set to face Republican challengers Jose Alonso and Sharon Hubberman. Each party’s candidates ran uncontested in the primary elections.

Sayreville is located in the 19th Legislative District of New Jersey, where Democrats hold both Assembly seats and the state Senate seat. Incumbent Democratic Assemblymen John Wisniewski, who hails from Sayreville, and Craig Coughlin, ran unopposed. They will face Republican challengers Thomas Maras and Reyes Ortega, who also ran uncontested in the primary election.