Rhoades lead in Readington GOP primary increases from 2 to 4 votes after recount

Eric Rhoades has increased his lead in the Republican primary for Readington Township Committee from two votes to four over John Kowal after a recount conducted today.

Rhoades is now ahead, 1,217 to 1,213, after picking up two votes; Kowal gained none.   The next step will be for Kowal to file a lawsuit challenging the election, if he decides to go that route.

On election night, Rhoades was ahead by just one vote.

Trevor Izzo, Rhoades’ running mate, also added two votes, bringing him to 1,308.  The fourth candidate in the June 2 GOP primary, Lisa Routel, remains at 1,186.

“We are grateful to the Hunterdon County Board of Elections and the county clerk for their professionalism and dedication throughout this recount.  Their work reminds us that fair elections are the foundation of our democracy,” Izzo and Rhoades said in a statement.  “Inspired by the opportunity before us, we are committed to uniting the Republican Party and bringing every voice to the table with respect and shared purpose. United as one, we look forward to November, where together we will defeat the Democrats and get straight to work delivering results for the residents of Readington.”

Incumbents John Albanese and Jonathan Heller did not seek re-election in a town marked by controversy over the last few years.

Albanese pleaded guilty last year to creating a public nuisance after admitting he stole campaign signs during the 2024 Republican primary.  The other GOP faction had attached Apple AirTags to the signs and traced them to Albanese’s home.  Under a plea agreement, he avoided a criminal conviction.

A recount for a contested Republican County Committee seat in Readington’s 15th district leaves Laurie Fischer and Thomas Curtis tied at 51 votes each.  This seat is now considered vacant, and it will be up to the full county committee, which is controlled by the Izzo/Rhaodes faction, to appoint someone – that favors Curtis.

In addition to the sign stealing, two of Albanese’s allies, Christina Albrecht and Jacqueline Hindle, avoided prison last year after planting a recording device at a local restaurant and recording a private meeting of two elected officials from a rival GOP faction. A judge accepted their admittance into the state’s Pre-Trial Intervention program.

Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson alleged that Albrecht, whose husband, former Mayor Ben Smith, lost a Republican primary for township committee in June, placed an audio recording device on July 1 to capture private, oral communications between Mueller, Panico, and Cahill.   Albrecht later returned to The Rail, a local eatery, retrieved the device, and then allegedly uploaded the recordings to a shared drive with Hindle, who ran on a GOP ticket with Smith.

One week later, prosecutors claimed Albrecht returned to The Rail while it was closed and planted the device again.  That device was detected and turned over to local law enforcement.

Later, Albrecht and Hindle conspired to purchase another device to record Mueller and Panico covertly.