BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE — James Major beat Judy Leidner in a landslide in the 4th Ward Democratic primary June 7.
The unofficial results including absentee ballots were Major, 823, to Leidner’s 263.
“I feel great,” Major said. “I’m absolutely enthralled. The margin of victory, to me, shows an overwhelming endorsement. It shows I’m in touch with the community. Being on the council is all about involving the public. I put in a lot of effort and it paid off.”
Leidner was not so chipper.
“I don’t consider it a defeat,” the Board of Education vice president said. “I consider it a learning experience and boy, did I get an eyeful.
“You know what it’s really all about?” she asked rhetorically. “It’s not about your record, who you are or what you’ve done. It’s not about that.”
So what’s it all about?
“It’s all about political backing and who’s got the most money,” Leidner said.
Leidner, who ran off the Democratic Party line, received a few hundred dollars in contributions from former Republican Chairman Thomas Owen, whom Leidner said is an “old friend,” according to Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) reports.
Major received $7,000 from Middlesex County Democratic boss John Lynch’s New Directions Through Responsible Leadership, according to ELEC.
He received $1,000 from Weiner Lesniak, whose Parsippany law firm, according to published newspaper reports, hired James E. McGreevey after he resigned his governorship. McGreevey later resigned from the firm.
Major will now have to protect his appointed seat from Republican 4th Ward Councilman Kevin Wertz’s seat in January.
The number of total registered voters in Woodbridge dropped from last year, said John Mitch, municipal clerk and local election official.
Last year, 51,913 registered voters lived in Woodbridge. This year, there are 48,076. Mitch said the drop could be attributed to voters dying or moving out of town.
Of that total, 4,449, mostly Democrats, voted on June 7, Mitch said
Mitch said 3,023 Democrats voted in the primary, compared to 1,426 Republicans.
In the governor’s Republican primary race, Woodbridge voters endorsed Bret Schundler with 597 votes. Douglas Forrester received 492 votes; Steve Lonegan, 172; John Murphy, 68; Paul DiGaetano, 59; Bob Schroeder, 29; and Todd Caliguire, 14.
Woodbridge Democrats overwhelmingly endorsed Jon Corzine with 2,342 votes. Francis Tanaglio received 100 votes; James Kelly Jr., 186.
Mitch said Richard Codey received 23 write-ins for governor and someone in the 4th Ward decided they wanted McGreevey back in the state house.