In upset, Dems reclaim two N.B. council seats

JEFF HUNTLEY Democratic North Brunswick Township Councilmen-elect Carlo Socio (l) and Francis “Mack” Womack are congratulated by supporters at the Italian-American Social Club Tuesday evening.

Womack and

Socio oust GOP incumbents to gain 4-2 council minority

By alison granito

Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY: JERRY WOLKOWITZ GOP candidates Ted Van Hessen and Joe Del Guercio watch returns come in Tuesday night at Pierre’s on Georges Road in South Brunswick.

Bipartisanship will once again be restored to the North Brunswick Township Council, thanks to the surprise upset of Republican incumbents in Tuesday’s election.

In the race for two three-year seats on the six-member council, Democratic challengers Francis "Mack" Womack and Carlo Socio collected 5,923 and 5,643 votes, respectively.

Incumbent Republican Paul Pappas, who was seeking his second term, lost by a 658-vote margin, placing third with 4,985 votes.

Republican incumbent Bill Goldstein, who was appointed to a vacant seat in January, received 4,805.

Councilwoman Carol Barrett jokes with candidate Charles Carley Tuesday night in South Brunswick.

Womack and Socio will be the first Democrats to return to a township government that has been under exclusive Republican control since January.

The township was under exclusive Democratic control until Pappas and GOP Mayor David Spaulding gained a foothold in 1997. Goldstein was appointed to fill Spaulding’s seat after he won election to mayor last year.

Just over half of the township’s 20,454 voters, or 57.5 percent, turned out for Tuesday’s election.

A packed house at the Italian-American Social Club, including many prominent township Democrats, broke into a chant of "Back with Mack!" as Womack took the podium for his acceptance speech.

JEFF HUNTLEY North Brunswick Democratic Municipal Chairman Vito Puleio (center) looks on as Carlo Socio (l) and Mack Womack congratulate each other Tuesday.

"Through everything that has happened to the Democratic Party in North Brunswick, the people in this room have held their heads up high," said Womack.

Womack, a 44-year-old attorney, and Socio, a 29-year-old business analyst with United Healthcare in Somerset, credited longtime Democratic Party Chairman Vito Puleio with helping them win election.

"The Republicans told us that there was a snowball’s chance in hell that we would win anything this year. Well, I guess there’s a snowball somewhere tonight because we pulled it off," Puleio said while introducing the candidates.

Womack and Socio both say they look forward to "developing good working relationships" with their fellow council members come January.

"I’m sure we all have the common goal of doing what is best for the people of North Brunswick," said Socio.

The issues which will attract his immediate attention, Womack said, include negotiating a new water contract.

Womack also pledged to carry on the environmental projects recently started in the township by Goldstein, and the drive for a youth center spearheaded by Pappas.

The scene across town at American Legion Post No. 459 on Linwood Place, where Republicans were gathered, was subdued in comparison, as unexpectedly low GOP numbers came in from district after district.

Pappas credited his opponents with running a "clean" campaign and getting their message out to township voters.

"I’m glad I had an opportunity to do some good with my time on the council, but we have to respect the people’s vote," said Goldstein.

The consensus among Republican supporters seemed to be that Democratic voters who came out for their party in the presidential and state races followed the party line down to the local level.

"I think people came out for the presidential election and big state races who weren’t necessarily informed about local issues and just voted down the party line," commented Republican Councilman Leo Ryan.

In the presidential race, township voters sided with Democratic Vice President Al Gore over Republican Gov. George Bush by a 6,988-4,357 margin.

In the U.S. Senate race at the North Brunswick polls, Democrat John Corzine beat Republican Bob Franks 5,972 to 4,829.