By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Councilman Patrick Simon said Thursday that he would not seek re-election to his council seat this year and does not plan to run against Mayor Liz Lempert in the mayoral race either.
“Instead, I will focus my efforts in 2016 on serving out the remainder of my current term on Princeton’s municipal council to the best of my ability,” he said in an email.
Mr. Simon, a Democrat first elected in 2012 and then re-elected the following year, is completing a three-year term on the council. He had been mulling his political future, and indicated he was thinking of running for mayor.
Mayor Lempert, who now might have no challenger in the Democratic primary, could not be reached for comment.
His decision not to run for his seat comes with other Democrats announcing in recent weeks that they would be getting into the race, including former school board president Tim Quinn and community volunteer Leticia Fraga. Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller, the other incumbent, has said she plans to run for re-election, while fellow Democrat Amner Deleon has said he is considering running too.
“I am very grateful to the members of the Princeton community who have stepped forward to run for local office, incumbents and newcomers alike, and to those others who may choose to do so as well in the days and weeks ahead,” Mr. Simon said. “I wish them well.”
