Republicans see weakness in indecision

Republicans are hoping to capitalize on troubles Democrats had settling on a nominee for the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Joseph Vas in the 19th District in eastern Middlesex County.

Woodbridge attorney Craig Coughlin, who won the nomination after it appeared a candidate from Perth Amboy had the party's support, is running with longtime Assemblyman John Wisniewski.

Richard Piatkowski of Perth Amboy still hopes to gain from the disappointment city residents felt over Coughlin's selection.

Piatkowski is running on the GOP ticket with Pradip "Peter" Kothari, a longtime Woodbridge businessman and community activist who is banking on support among the large Asian-Indian population in the district, which covers Carteret, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, South Amboy and Woodbridge.

Vas, a former Perth Amboy mayor, chose not to seek re-election to the Assembly after he was indicted on charges of taking money from the city. He denies the allegations and is awaiting trial.

Party leaders picked South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary for the seat, but he dropped out on Aug. 12, saying he couldn't fight lengthy and anonymous political charges and allegations attacking him and his family. Perth Amboy resident Mathias Rodriguez was contacted by party officials, and he retired as a Superior Court judge on Aug. 14, to pursue the nomination, only to see Coughlin get the nod.

Coughlin, 51, is a former South Amboy councilman and former Woodbridge Democratic Party chairman. He serves as Woodbridge's municipal attorney, and has served as municipal attorney for Carteret and Sayreville as well. He resigned as Edison Municipal Court judge to run for office.

Wisniewski and Coughlin said Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz has joined them at their campaign stops in that city.

Kothari, 63, has been a leader in the Asian-Indian community in Central New Jersey for more than 15 years. He counts more than 10,000 of those residents in the district, but admits many are registered Democrats, the party that dominates Middlesex County.

Kothari ran for a county freeholder seat in 2001. He has been pitching accusations that the Democrats picked Coughlin because he was a longtime party member who earned a living off municipal government jobs. "The machine got one of their own men in," he said.

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