Republicans held onto control of Watchung’s municipal government, with incumbent Mayor Ronald Jubin defeating Democratic challenger Daryl Eisenberg Knegten and Republican council candidates Robert Gibbs and Sonia Abi-Habib finishing ahead of Democratic challengers Lindsey Craft and Colin Yhlen.
Gibbs led all council candidates with 1,515 votes, followed by Abi-Habib with 1,466 votes. Craft received 1,294 votes, while Yhlen received 1,265.
Jubin received 1,589 votes to 1,236 for Eisenberg Knegten, securing another term as mayor.
The results preserve Republican control of Watchung’s six-member council and keep Democrats out of the mayor’s office. Jubin had won re-election four years ago by 10 percentage points.
The results come in a closely divided community. Watchung backed Kamala Harris in 2024 and Gov. Mikie Sherrill in 2025 by less than one percentage point in each election. Democrats also made gains in the area last year, when Andrew Macurdy of Summit and Vincent Kearney of Garwood won their Assembly races in Warren by roughly 100 votes.
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