Home>Local>Christopher Infinito, 22, sworn in as Washington Borough councilman

Washington Borough Councilman Christopher Infinito, center, was sworn in on March 7, 2023 by County Commissioner James R. Kern III. Warren County Republican Committee Executive Director Christopher Allen held the bible for Infinito. (Photo: Warren County Republicans).

Christopher Infinito, 22, sworn in as Washington Borough councilman

Warren County Republicans replaces Michael Heinrich

By David Wildstein, March 07 2023 10:47 pm

22-year-old Christopher Infinito became one of the youngest councilmen in the state tonight when he was selected to fill an open seat on the Washington Borough Council in Warren County.

The council picked Infinito to replace Michael Heinrich, who resigned his seat last month.

A 2022 graduate of Drew University, Infinito is employed as a confidential aide to the Warren County Board of Commissioners.

Washington Borough is politically competitive, with a Democratic mayor and a 6-0 Republican majority on the borough council.  In 2022, Democrat Ethel Conroy was elected mayor by 42 votes, flipping the post from Republican to Democratic.  But four Republicans won borough council seats; Democrats came within 58 votes of taking one of the seats.    Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) carried Washington Borough by 212 votes, 55%-45%, in 2022.

The local Republican organization submitted three names to the council, which chose Infinito over Betti Singh and Paul Crider.

He was sworn into office by County Commissioner James Kern, who was also a political boy wonder.  Kern was elected to the Pohatcong Township Council at age 22 in 2010, defeating two incumbents while still finishing his senior year at Rutgers University.  Kern was elected Mayor in 2011, re-elected in 2015 with 88% of the vote, and won election as a Warren County commissioner in 2018.

I’m looking forward to working with my fellow council members, our mayor, the borough’s professionals, and the residents to address the challenges we face and seize the opportunities that lie ahead,” Infinito said.  “I am grateful for this opportunity to serve my community, and I promise to do so with integrity, passion, and dedication to the needs and interests of the people of Washington Borough.”

An Eagle Scout, Infinito worked as a field organizer for the New Jersey Republican State Committee in 2022, playing a role in the flipping of the 7th district congressional seat to Kean.   He had also worked as a research intern on Fred Schneiderman’s short-lived bid to take on Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) in the 5th district.

To remain on the council, Infinito will need to run in the primary and general elections for Heinrich’s unexpired term.  The winner of that race would serve the remaining thirteen months of the term.

The filing deadline is March 27.

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