In the 29th, a question of change

BY SHARON ADARLO

The Assembly race in the 29th District, which covers Newark and Hillside, features two incumbents seeking to retain their seats and three challengers hoping to break the Democrats' reign.

Republicans Aracelis Sanabria-Tejada and Fernando E. Linhares and independent candidate Joanne Miller are running against Democrats L. Grace Spencer and Alberto Coutinho, who were elected in 2007 to two-year terms.

Linhares, who ran for Newark's East Ward council seat in 2006, said he wanted to run in this election in order to fight the stranglehold of power that Democrats have over the district.

He said Spencer and Coutinho were "excellent as individuals," but they are part of an ineffective party machine that has not done enough for the district.

"It's the most dangerous and the least educated, most polluted, and has the highest tax rate. It has been that way since Democratic control," said Linhares, an attorney and former municipal judge.

His running mate, Sanabria-Tejada, said she is running because she, too, believes the area has been too long dominated by the Democrats and it is time for a change.

"I believe we need representation for other people's views," said Sanabria-Tejada. "We need democracy. We need other views."

Miller, who ran for Newark's South Ward council seat in 2006, was not available for comment because of a death in her family.

Spencer and Coutinho are hoping their record speaks for itself, from their work on school construction to urban development.

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