NJ-12: Democratic field for Watson Coleman's seat whittled down after four candidates don't file
The exorbitantly large, 17-candidate Democratic field to succeed Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) has been whittled down to a more manageable – but still historically crowded – 13 candidates.
Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck, community advocate Mike Anderson, housing policy researcher Iziah Thompson, and Army veteran and anesthesiologist Rick Morales all failed to file sufficient petition signatures before the filing deadline yesterday afternoon. Heck, whose tiny Somerset County community is home to 448 people, said that he’ll instead support Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson (D-Franklin).
“I have known Shanel Robinson for well over a decade as an elected official, a military veteran, and a friend,” Heck said in a statement. “She has always been a leader who fights for the people and delivers on her promises.”
None of the four unsuccessful candidates were considered to be among the race’s top contenders, but their absence will make the race at least slightly less cluttered and chaotic. It’s possible that the field will be reduced further by petition challenges, though every Democrat who filed did so with at least 100 more signatures than the 500-signature threshold.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/democratic-field-for-watson-colemans-seat-whittled-down-after-four-candidates-dont-file/