Three Democratic lawmakers from the 16th District – state Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick), Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-Hillsboro) and Assemblyman Sadaf Jaffer (D-Montgomery) – endorsed Assemblyman Dan Benson (D -Hamilton) is the Democratic candidate for Mercer County Executive.
In the Democratic primary, Benson is running against five-term incumbent Brian Hughes.
“Assemblyman Benson has long been a leader in the Assembly on issues ranging from transportation to health care to the state budget,” Zwicker, Freiman and Jaffer said in a statement. “We know he will use that knowledge and experience to benefit the people of Mercer County as county executive. He is the right man for the job.”
Princeton, Mercer County’s only municipality in the 16th District, has already strongly endorsed Benson, who is backed by Mayor Mark Fredo, Democratic Municipal Chairman Owen O’Donnell, Princeton Community Democratic President Tommy Parker, six council members and other party leaders.
Benson won a special convention election to the State Assembly in 2011 after serving as a member of the Mercer County Council. Hughes, son of former Gov. Richard J. Hughes, served as a freeholder before becoming county executive in 2003.
State Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence), Rep. Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Trenton) and Rep. Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) endorsed Hughes. State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) supports Benson.
