Two Dems express interest in 8th district Senate nod

Two contenders have emerged for the Democratic nomination for State Senate in the 8th district after Heather Cooper withdrew from the race on Friday.

Janet DiFolco, a Mount Holly Board of Education member, and former Pemberton Township Council President Gaye Burton, have notified party leaders that they want to be considered for the Senate nomination.

DiFolco was, until recently, a registered Republican and has been on the school board since 2014;  her husband, Richard, is a former Mount Holly mayor.  Burton, a retired teacher, served one term as a councilwoman before losing re-election last year.

Democratic county committee members have until August 31 to select a replacement candidate to take on Republican Latham Tiver, an Operating Engineers Local 825 official and former Burlington County freeholder.   The incumbent, State Sen. Jean Stanfield (R-Westhampton), is not seeking re-election.

Cooper, an Evesham councilwoman, said a recent health issue triggered her decision to end her campaign.

Stanfield, who spent nearly eighteen years as the Burlington County Sheriff and two as an assemblywoman, was elected to the Senate in 2021.  She defeated incumbent Dawn Addiego (D-Evesham), who had switched parties in 2019, by a 51%-49% margin.