Most incumbents gain re-election

aliyah shahid

AND TOM HAYDON

Despite Republican Chris Christie's surprisingly strong showing in the Democratic stronghold of Middlesex County, three Democratic freeholders won new terms, defeating three Republican challengers.

In local races, voters in 21 Middlesex County towns re-elected 13 incumbents and sent five packing.

H. James Polos of Highland Park and Ronald Rios of Carteret each were re-elected for full three-year terms as freeholders, beating out Lynda Woods Cleary of South Brunswick and Richard Frank of South Plainfield.

Former South Brunswick councilwoman Carol Barrett, who was appointed to the board in January, won election to a two-year unexpired term, topping newcomer Candice Greaux, a 23-year-old Rutgers University student.

The victory ensures the Democrats will continue to control all seven seats on the freeholder board, as they have for the past 13 years.

"It's a very difficult year with the governor's race results having an impact on all the races," said Polos, who was elected to his fifth term as freeholder. "We believe the voters made the decision that we were right on the issues," Polos said.

Democrats hold a huge advantage in Middlesex County among registered voters, outnumbering Republicans more than 2-1. The Democrats also had a huge financial advantage, with the incumbents raising more than $415,000 and their counterparts receiving a tiny fraction of that, according state campaign financing reports.

The incumbents ran on their record of cutting the county budget, preserving land for open space, introducing new programs and pushing energy conservation efforts.

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