For Keith Hamilton, five times may be the charm
By Wally EdgeOne key Democratic leader says that the four-term Mercer County Freeholder Keith Hamilton is the clear front runner for the right to challenge Republican Assemblyman William Baroni in 2007.
The 52-year-old Hamilton has sought party support to run for the Legislature in each of the past four cycles, but without success. Democrats picked fellow Hamilton Township resident Gary Guear to run for the Assembly with Linda Greenstein in 1999 -- the year they unseated GOP incumbents Paul Kramer and Barbara Wright. Hamilton explored a challenge to Republican State Senator Peter Inverso in 2001 and 2003, but backed off when Democrats instead picked Sheriff Samuel Plumeri and former Assemblyman Anthony "Skip" Cimino, respectively. In 2005, Hamilton dropped his Assembly bid when party leaders decided to support Daniel Benson, a Hamilton Councilman.
To run for the Assembly, Hamilton will need to give up the Freeholder seat he has held since his 1995 election. Democrats suggest that his seat will go to another Hamilton Township Democrat, possible former Councilman Wayne DeAngelo.
Hamilton won the Mercer County portion of the 14th district (Hamilton Township and West Windsor) by wide margins in his 2001 and 2004 Freeholder races.
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**** Its an interesting scenario...Hamilton & Greenstein is a fa
****
Its an interesting scenario...Hamilton & Greenstein is a fairly formidable ticket.
However, Hamilton's mostly nameless opponents in the Freeholder races have been nowhere near the stature of a Bill Baroni, the new GOP golden-boy of Mercer politics.
Much of Hamilton's success will be dependent on who the Dems can recruit to run against Inverso. A crappy candidate will drag this ticket down...maybe taking Greenstein down too (finally).
He's been somewhat tarnished lately, but I would imagine that Gilmore is probably still the strongest challenger to Inverso.
....or maybe that school-board guy with the cool Myspace page...
*****
I think Greenstein will lose, and its interesting why now they p
I think Greenstein will lose, and its interesting why now they pick Keith Hamilton when its evident going against Baroni is being a sacrificial lamb.
Glen Gilmore's administration is on the rocks, hes lost four council seats in the last two years. I think he loses next year too.
Despite the comments above, Greenstein has no shot at losing tha
Despite the comments above, Greenstein has no shot at losing that seat. She ran within less than 2,000 votes of Baroni last time, and has a solid base in the district. Every two years rumors abound that she can lose, Benson was going to pass her by, and she is still winning. Too often she is underestimated, but don't make the mistake of underestimating how important constituent services from a district office can be.
Sorry, Mr. Democrat (if indeed that's the party to which you bel
Sorry, Mr. Democrat (if indeed that's the party to which you belong), but a crappy runningmate would not lead to Greenstein's defeat. And for the record, Keith Hamilton is actually a good candidate. Just look at Gary Guear in 2003. Candidates don't get much crappier than that and Greenstein was reelected in spite of him. Hamiltonians are ticket splitters and they will reelect Greenstein.
Sorry, Mr. Democrat (if indeed that's the party to which you bel
Sorry, Mr. Democrat (if indeed that's the party to which you belong), but a crappy runningmate would not lead to Greenstein's defeat. And for the record, Keith Hamilton is actually a good candidate. Just look at Gary Guear in 2003. Candidates don't get much crappier than that and Greenstein was reelected in spite of him. Hamiltonians are ticket splitters and they will reelect Greenstein.