April 8, 2009 - 10:45am
News

New Brunswick reform Dems file 50 county committee candidates

A group of reform Democrats in New Brunswick is challenging the establishment party.

The group, which runs under the slogan “Democrats for Change,” has filed 50 candidates to run to represent New Brunswick in the Middlesex County Democratic Committee.  

Saying that city council members are unresponsive to the various neighborhoods’ constituency (all five council members are elected at-large), the candidates want the city to have ward-based elections.  

"There is no communication with the Councilpeople,” said candidate Thomas Peoples.  “They never come to the neighborhoods. The only way we can have change is if real people step up to represent that actually live in all neighborhoods.”

New Brunswick’s Democratic machine is a remnant of the more powerful organization that was led by former state Sen. John Lynch,.  Among the incumbent council members is Joseph V. Egan, who, along with Mayor Jim Cahill, are the de facto leaders of the local party.      

Matt Friedman is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at matt@politicsnj.com.