Middlesex Dems back incumbents for county commissioner, legislature

Middlesex County Commissioners Leslie Koppel and Charles Tomaro won party support for re-election at their party’s convention tonight, running without opposition.

Koppel, a former Monroe council president, has served as a county commissioner since 2017.  Tomaro served sixteen years as an Edison councilman and has been a county commissioner for 12 years.

The Democratic organization also backed Tennille McCoy for an open State Assembly seat in the 14th district and Mitchelle Drulis in the 16th.

“I am proud of our inclusive and believe we have the most transparent convention process in the state that has led to our 2023 slate of candidates that bring the ideal combination of government experience and energy that Middlesex County and New Jersey need to continue our upward trajectory,” said Kevin McCabe, the Middlesex County Democratic chairman.

Middlesex Democrats awarded their line to incumbents in five districts: State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) in the 14th, State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) and Roy Freiman (D-Hillsborough) in the 16th; State Sen. Bob Smith (D-Piscataway) and Assemblymen Joe Egan (D-New Brunswick) and Joe Danielson (D-Franklin) in the 17th; State Sen. Pat Diegnan (D-South Plainfield) and Assemblymen Rob Karabinchak (D-Edison) and Sterley Stanley (D-East Brunswick) in the 18th; and State Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge), Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Woodbridge) and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-Perth Amboy) in the 19th.

The line also went to Brandon Rose for State Senate and Raya Arbiol and Paul Sarti for Assembly in the 12th, and Liz Grainer and Chris Weber for Assembly in the 21st.

“Following a strong electoral cycle in 2022, Democrats in New Jersey need to maintain positive momentum, and we in Middlesex County will work to successfully elect each of these candidates this November. This slate has a laudable history of public service and fighting for the betterment of Middlesex County’s working and middle-class families. Vice Chair Beatrice Moskowitz and I are proud of the slate that our County Committee members have endorsed, and we look forward to successful efforts this June and November.”