March 22, 2017

Princeton Democrats Endorse Eight Candidates for Local Office

Keeping their momentum high in the volatile contemporary political environment, the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) gathered Sunday at the Suzanne Patterson Center behind Monument Hall to plan for the coming months and to endorse candidates for Assembly, State Senate, Mercer County Sheriff, Freeholder, and Princeton Council.

“The outpouring of activity and commitment since November has been amazing,” said PCDO President Owen O’Donnell. “It is vital that we continue to raise our voices as well as work with campaigns at all levels to elect representatives who will fight for fair policies for all our citizens. The PCDO is going to be fully engaged during the primaries and general election.”

Emphasizing the importance of electing a Democratic governor in November, Mr. O’Donnell continued, “New Jersey will be an important story in 2017. Along with Virginia, we are the only state in the country with major races, which puts us in the forefront of gauging reaction to the Trump administration.”

The PCDO endorsed Andrew Zwicker and Roy Freiman for State Assembly and Laurie Poppe for State Senate, representing Legislative District 16; John “Jack” Kemler for Mercer County Sheriff. and John Cimino and Lucylle Walter for Mercer County Freeholders; and David Cohen and Leticia Fraga for Princeton Council. At a meeting last month featuring Democratic candidates for governor, the PCDO formally endorsed Assemblyman John Wisniewski for the June gubernatorial primary.

As last night’s gathering of about 100 endorsed all of the candidates by acclamation, themes of inclusion, diversity, affordability, taxes, and social justice reverberated throughout the evening’s commentary. Each candidate talked briefly, then answered questions from the audience. Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert and Council Member Heather Howard also spoke, specifically addressing the issue of Princeton’s response to recent immigration policies.

Expressing her concern over detrimental national policies, Ms. Lempert stated, “We’ve been working on staying true to our values, to continue building trust and building the community we want to live in.” She emphasized that the municipal government has been working with the Princeton Police Department (PPD) and that Police Chief Nick Sutter “is fully invested in this issue,” seeking “to convey the message that our police are there for public safety, to keep everybody safe,” and that the police “are guardians as opposed to warriors.”

Mentioning that the Obama White House noted Princeton’s work in community-building, she concluded that under the current stressful conditions, “it is a time when we need to come together as a community and not let these policies tear us apart.”

Further emphasizing the importance of community building and partnerships, Ms. Howard pointed out Princeton’s efforts to combat wage theft and to send the message that “government works. Government works for the residents. People can come to the police and the government for help.”

As they look forward to the June 6 primary and general elections in the fall, the candidates displayed different backgrounds, different strengths, and some different priorities, with an overall spirit of unity in working together.

Mr. Kemler, who is seeking a third term as Mercer County Sheriff, with a total of 34 years in law enforcement, echoed Ms. Howard and Ms. Lempert’s emphasis on welcoming communities. “There is nothing in the statute for us to enforce recent immigration laws,” he said. “That’s not our job. Our job is to keep the community safe.”

Noting his department’s good relationship with Chief Sutter and the PPD, Mr. Kemler pointed out that ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is only targeting illegal immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes.”

Mr. Zwicker, who joined the Assembly two years ago in an upset victory, highlighted the Democratic momentum in the 16th District, a traditional Republican stronghold that includes Somerset, Hunterdon, and Middlesex Counties, as well as Princeton. “Let’s take a red district and turn it blue,” the Princeton University Plasma Physics Laboratory scientist said, “because we have seen a government that doesn’t represent who we are as Democrats and as Americans. As a scientist I know the importance of facts and evidence in making the right decisions.”

Ms. Poppe, a family law attorney and social worker, claimed to know the challenges facing the state and its residents, including education, health, and taxes. “Republicans do not know how to stand up for what they believe in,” she said. “Democrats do.” She stressed the importance of getting out the vote to support the Democratic candidates on all of the key issues.

Mr. Freiman, recently retired as vice president at Prudential Financial, pointed out his business experience and his ability to foster collaboration. “I’m running because our government in New Jersey for the past eight years has ignored the problems that affect us,” he said, and he went on to mention his ability to “take the best ideas and make them work for us.”

In reflecting on the gathering and recent PCDO efforts, Mr. O’Donnell observed, “Things have been snowballing. The positive side of the horrible news we’ve been receiving almost every day is the enthusiasm and the energy of the local response, but a lot more work has to be done.”