Unofficial results: Here's who won the primary elections in Middlesex County
In a county where Democratic incumbents typically prevail, two Middlesex mayors followed the trend in turning away challenges in Tuesday’s primary.
Results are unofficial pending receipt of all mail-in ballots and the counting of provisional ballots. Vote totals listed are as of early Wednesday morning.
In South Amboy, Mayor Fred Henry, who has served since 2011, won another Democratic nomination, defeating Brian McLaughlin, a 1st Ward councilman since 2017, who ran on the “People Before Politics” slate.
Henry received 518 votes or 59%, while McLaughlin received 363 votes or 41%.
Republican mayoral candidate Geraldine Bruno, who ran unopposed, received 209 votes.
Running with Henry for two council-at-large seats were incumbent Michael "Mickey" Gross and Anthony Conrad, who defeated incumbent Christine Noble and Mary Szaro, who ran with McLaughlin.
Gross received 498 votes or 29% and Conrad received 456 votes or 26%. Noble received 418 votes or 24% and Szaro received 353 votes or 20%.
Running with Bruno for council-at-large was Peter Pedro Pisar, who ran unopposed, receiving 207 votes.
In South Brunswick, Democratic Mayor Charles Carley, who has served since 2018, easily defeated Arthur L. Robinson, who ran on the "Efficiency Transparency in Municipal Government" slate.
Carley received 1,970 votes or 81% while Robinson received 457 votes or 19%.
Carley will face off in November against Republican mayoral challenger Michael Havardansky, who ran unopposed, receiving 767 votes.
Running with Carley for reelection was Councilman Kenneth Bierman, who was unopposed.
Running unopposed in the Republican primary to face off against Bierman was John J. Anthony.
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In Metuchen, Republican borough council candidate Richard Thoren was removed Tuesday as a poll worker from a borough polling location about one hour after the polls opened, at the direction of the Board of Elections staff and the municipal clerk, according to a Middlesex County official.
The official said Thoren was submitted by the Republican Poll Worker Coordinator for Metuchen. However due to his status as a candidate, Board of Elections staff informed him that he could not serve as a poll worker, though he had already received poll worker training.
In the race for two seats, Democratic borough council member Dorothy Rasmussen and her council running mate Lisa Hyman both received 1,067 votes, while Thoren received 301 and his Republican running mate, Eric Lignell, received 299.
On the county level, Democratic Commissioners Charles Kenny, Claribel Azcona-Barber and Chanelle Scott McCullum easily defeated challengers Atif Nazir and Herbert L. Tarbous, who ran under the "Democrats for Transparency and Fairness" slate.
Kenny received 26,741 votes or 27%, Azcona-Barber received 25,527 votes or 26% and McCullum received 29,469 votes or 30%. Nazir received 8,242 votes or 8% and Tarbous received 7,865 or 8%.
On the Republican side for commissioner, Joellen M. Arrabito, Martin Herrmann and Gerald T. Shine, who ran on the county line, defeated Demetra Wagner, Sam Raval and Frank J. Bella, who ran under the "America First Republicans" designation.
Arrabito received 8,872 votes or 19%, Herrmann received 8,987 votes or 20% and Shine received 8,378 votes or 19%. Wager received 6,018 votes or 13%, Raval received 5,751 votes or 13%% and Bella received 6,688 votes or 15%.
6th and 12th Congressional districts
In the 6th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. ran unopposed. On the Republican side, Susan Kiley, a Monmouth County commissioner from Hazlet, defeated challengers Rik Mehta and Tom Toomey.
In the 12th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Republican challenger Darius Mayfield, who describes himself on his website as a businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist, ran unopposed.
Contributing: Suzanne Russell
Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Middlesex County NJ election results: Democrat incumbents win primary
