Democratic field for Watson Coleman’s seat whittled down after four candidates don’t file

The exorbitantly large, 17-candidate Democratic field to succeed Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) has been whittled down to a more manageable – but still historically crowded – 13 candidates.

Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck, community advocate Mike Anderson, housing policy researcher Iziah Thompson, and Army veteran and anesthesiologist Rick Morales all failed to file sufficient petition signatures before the filing deadline yesterday afternoon. Heck, whose tiny Somerset County community is home to 448 people, said that he’ll instead support Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson (D-Franklin).

“I have known Shanel Robinson for well over a decade as an elected official, a military veteran, and a friend,” Heck said in a statement. “She has always been a leader who fights for the people and delivers on her promises.”

None of the four unsuccessful candidates were considered to be among the race’s top contenders, but their absence will make the race at least slightly less cluttered and chaotic. It’s possible that the field will be reduced further by petition challenges, though every Democrat who filed did so with at least 100 more signatures than the 500-signature threshold.

A handful of underdog candidates in other contested primaries around the state also failed to file or ended their campaign shortly before the deadline.

In the 4th district, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) now only has two Democratic hopefuls running against him instead of five. Democratic socialist Peter Linardakis, professor Julie Flynn, and activist Bob English were all unsuccessful in making the ballot; Flynn said that she will instead support Rachel Peace, who has the endorsement of both of the 4th district’s county Democratic organizations.

“I believe Rachel Peace has the experience, values, and leadership this moment calls for, and I am proud to support her moving forward,” Flynn said in a statement announcing the end of her campaign.

Four Democrats filed in Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis)’s 2nd district, but math teacher Bill Finn was not among them. Finn said that he was unable to get the necessary signatures to file, but that his supporters could still write his name in if they so chose.

In the 5th district, Republican Sandy Gajapathy’s campaign against Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) similarly failed to meet the signature threshold. Corporate consultant Sean Kirrane is the GOP establishment’s pick for the seat, but an Englewood Cliffs businessman named John Aslanian filed petitions to run as well.

And in the GOP race for U.S. Senate, Natalie Rivera, who participated in a handful of county conventions, did not file; four other Republicans are still running to unseat Senator Cory Booker.