In key Trenton race, Williams snags endorsement of incumbent

Jennifer Williams has won the endorsement of the incumbent she wants to succeed in her bid for the North Ward seat on the Trenton City Council.

Marge Caldwell-Wilson, a former CWA Local 1087 president, is not seeking re-election after 12 years on the city council.  The Trenton City Council is widely viewed as the most dysfunctional in the state.

“I have continually said I would not endorse a candidate for the North Ward and that I wanted the voters to decide, however, in the last month, I have come to realize that we need change on the city council,” Caldwell-Wilson said.   “We need new faces that have the intelligence and integrity to understand their role on Council and who will put the taxpayers first.  Jennifer shares my commitment to public safety, providing residents with clean water, and strict oversight and support of our animal shelter.”

Williams, the Trenton GOP municipal chair, faces three opponents in Tuesday’s non-partisan municipal election: Merkle Cherry, the city’s former public works director; Algernon Ward, Jr., a local celebrity who played in a band called The Meditators; and Divine Allah,  a controversial supporter of embattled Council President and mayoral candidate Kathy McBride.

Unless a candidate receives 50% of the vote on November 8,  the top two vote-getters will meet for a runoff on December 6.