By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
There were no surprises in Tuesday’s political party primaries, as Democratic voters in the five Princeton Packet-area towns joined voters statewide to give their votes to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party nomination for president.
Republican voters had little choice but to vote for Donald Trump as their party’s presidential nominee. The names of Ohio Gov. John Kasich and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz also appeared on the ballot and some voters pulled the lever for them — but the two candidates had withdrawn from the race.
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman (12th Congressional District) easily fended off a challenge from Alexander J. Kucsma in the Democratic primary. She will face Republican Party nominee Steven J. Uccio, who ran unopposed in the Republican Party primary.
In a four-way race for the Democratic nomination for the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, incumbent Freeholder Andrew Koontz and Anthony S. Verrelli were the two top vote-getters, followed by Alex Calix Rodriguez and George M. Dusichka. They will face Andrew P. Curcio and Jason Lee DeFrancesco, who ran unopposed in the Republican Party primary.
Democratic Party voters chose incumbent Mercer County Surrogate Diane Gerofsky to run for another term. Republican Party voters nominated David Boyne to run against her. Both ran unopposed in their respective primaries.
In a three-way contest for the Republican Party nomination in the 7th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance sailed past two opponents to win it. On the Democratic side, Peter Jacobs ran unopposed in the primary and will face off against Rep. Lance in November.
Republican incumbent Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano, who ran unopposed, will face Democratic Party nominee Darrin Russo. Mr. Russo was the winner in a two-way race for the Democratic nomination, edging past Alexander E. Clark.
Republican Party voters endorsed incumbent Freeholder Pat Walsh to run for another term on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders. She was unopposed, but the Democratic Party primary featured two candidates — Maria L. Rodriguez and Lisa A. Kazmier. Ms. Rodriguez won her party’s nod to run for the freeholder board.
At the local level, incumbent Montgomery Township Committee members Ed Trzaska and Patricia Graham — both Republicans — faced no opposition and were endorsed to run for Township Committee. The Democratic Party did not nominate anyone for Township Committee.
In Middlesex County — home to Plainsboro Township — incumbent Sheriff Mildred Scott and incumbent Freeholders Blanquita Valenti, Kenneth Armwood and Charles Kenny, who are all Democrats, got their party’s nod to run for office. They ran unopposed.
On the Republican Party ticket, “Peter” Pedro Pisar got the nomination for sheriff, and Joseph “Joe” Scillieri, Kathleen “Katie” Calabrese and Zhiyu “Jimmy” Hu got their party’s nomination for the Board of Chosen Freeholders. They were unopposed.
And incumbent Plainsboro Township Committee members Edmund Yates and David Bander ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primary. No one signed up to run for the Republican Party nomination for Township Committee.
