Michael Ceponis

Three Somerset County Democrats hope to succeed outgoing Chairman Elia Pelios tomorrow.

Peg Schaffer, Mike Ceponis and Rebecca Perkins all hope to reinvigorate the party, which has struggled over the last couple decades to overcome complete Republican domination.

Schaffer, who’s backed by Pelios, appears to be the favorite, with state Democratic sources saying they expect her to be the next chairwoman.  But her opponents have used that against her, saying that electing her to the top position will essentially be a continuation of the last 10 years under Pelios.

Insiders say that there are three leading candidates for Somerset County Democratic Chairman: Michael Ceponis, who was the last Democrat to win election to the Somerset County Board of Freeholders (Christie Whitman unseated him in 1982); former Warren Township Board of Education Rebecca Perkins, who ran a close race for Freeholder in 1999; and Margaret Schaffer, the Bedminster Democratic Municipal Chair.  The incumbent, Elia Pelios, is not seeking re-election.

Somerset County Democrats voted this evening to endorse Montgomery Township Mayor Louise Wilson and Somerville Councilman Dennis Sullivan as their candidates for Freeholder. Somerset Democrats have won two Freeholder races in the last 32 years: Frank Nero won in 1973, and Michael Ceponis was elected in 1979. In 1982, Ceponis and Nero ran together and were defeated by Christine Todd Whitman and Michael Pappas. Whitman spent two terms as Governor and Pappas served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives.