EDISON - A big crowd of Middlesex County Democratic Committee members attended this convention here at the Pines Manor tonight where they narrowly elected Freeholder Mildred Scott over Freeholder M. James Polos as their 2010 candidate for sheriff. 

Voting lasted two hours before Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Joe Spicuzzo declared Scott the winner by eight percent: 429 votes for Scott to 348 for Polos.

"There's a new sheriff in town," cracked Spicuzzo, the county's retiring sheriff.

Polos immediately declared his support for Scott.

"We're going to walk out of here united tonight," he told the committee to applause.

Polos has more years on the freeholder board, but Scott wore a gun as a sheriff's deputy.

Her supporters - state Sen. Bob Smith (D-Piscataway) among them - made the argument that Democrats will need a candidate with legitimate law enforcement credentials in a county where the GOP made a statement last year with a victory by Gov. Chris Christie.

Among those Republicans seeking party backing to succeed Spicuzzo is former state trooper Keith Hackett.

A resident of Piscataway, Scott was born and raised in Perth Amboy and elected the first African American freeholder in the history of Middlesex County in 2008. A veteran of the freeholdder board, Polos is a former Highlands mayor.

County Committee members said both candidates waged vigorous campaigns over the course of the past month.

No one emailed this one in.

This was mail, door-to-door, telephones, etc.

For some Middlesex politicos the choice was too tough.

"I stayed neutral," said Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz. "I love them both, and I'm not a member of the committee."

But Scott had the backing of at least Smith, state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen), and Spicuzzo.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac was on vacation.

"THey were two attractive candidates, they both ran campaigns - and it showed," Spicuzzo said.