By Anne Levin
Since Leticia Fraga revealed early this month that she will not seek another term as a member of Princeton Council, three potential candidates and one incumbent, all Democrats, have said they will run for that office.
Similarly, Bonnie Watson Coleman’s November announcement that she is not seeking reelection after 14 years in Congress has inspired some 18 people to inform the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) that they intend to enter the race for her seat. The most recent is Princeton University Professor Sam Wang, who told The Daily Princetonian on Tuesday that he will officially announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.
Councilman David Cohen, who is in his ninth year on the governing body, intends to seek reelection. Newcomers who intend to enter that race are architect Marina Rubina, publishing executive Jon Durbin, and Princeton Nursery School CEO Leanna Jahnke.
Rubina is planning a transit-oriented kickoff this coming weekend, weather permitting. In the meantime, she will host regular office hours on Saturdays from 4-6 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Tigerlabs, 300 Witherspoon Street, Suite 201.
“I would love to see everyone stop by to chat or share their ideas for Council priorities,” she wrote in an email. Visit Marinaforamericandream.com to learn more.
Durbin’s campaign kickoff event is Sunday, February 1 from 4-6 p.m. Register at Jondurbin4princeton.com to get the location. Jahnke said on Tuesday that she plans to have a website available in the next few days. The PCDO is hosting a local and county candidate forum and endorsement meeting on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church.
As for the Congressional District 12 seat, the PCDO will hold a candidate forum and endorsement meeting at the Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, on Sunday, February 15 at 7 p.m., moderated by journalist Charlie Stile. The event is open to the public. According to the organization’s website, membership will engage in ranked choice voting to endorse a candidate at the end of the forum. Only members who live in the district may vote. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and check-in closes at 7 p.m.
“It is possible that the vote will be split so that no candidate will receive an endorsement,” the website reads. “However, all candidates will be ranked.”
Of the 18 in the race, the PCDO has received 15 responses to the forum, according to Jean Durbin, program chair and past PCDO president. The volume of candidates is unusually large.
“This is crazy, unprecedented,” Durbin said. “You have people raising their hands who have no political experience, and others like Sue Altman, who are deeply involved. So it will run the gamut. You have Assembly people, mayors across the district — it’s really interesting.”
Among those on the list are Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Elijah Dixon, Jay Vaingankar, Sujit Singh, Kyle Little, Adrian Mapp, and Adam Hamaway. Wang is a neuroscience professor and the founding director of both the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and the Electoral Innovation Lab.
Princeton’s other Democratic organization, the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee, meets on Thursday, February 19. The website princetondemocrats.com has more information and explains the differences between the two groups.