There are two important facts that Freehold Borough’s Democrats should understand clearly before they vote in Tuesday’s election to choose the candidates who will run in the general election in the fall.
First, the reason for this rare primary election is that one candidate, Dan Xavier, disagreed with the borough Democratic party’s choice of a candidate to run with incumbent Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer in the fall election. Six people, including Mr. Xavier, were interviewed by the selection committee this year – more than ever before. This is the same process that chose Nolan Higgins as the Democratic candidate for mayor last year, a choice that proved so popular that the Republican party didn’t even run a candidate against him. One of those six potential candidates, the committee decided, stood head and shoulders above the others in what he could add to Borough Hall, because of his devotion to, and long service on behalf of, his hometown: Ron Griffiths.
It is certainly Mr. Xavier’s right to disagree with that decision, and to stand as a candidate himself. It is incorrect, however, to imply that Freehold’s voters have been denied a choice about who will represent them on council. There is certain to be a spirited contest between the Democratic and Republican council candidates in the general election in the fall. The voters will have plenty of choices, and will have the final say.
Find out what's happening in Freeholdwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Second, Mr. Xavier, in an astounding act of political hubris, distributed literature this weekend linking his name with Sharon Shutzer, trying to leave the impression that he was in fact running with her. He is not. He continued to distribute this literature even after Sharon asked him to stop. The team backed by the borough Democrats, the team endorsed by Mayor Higgins, is Ron Griffiths and Sharon Shutzer. Mr. Xavier is running only for himself.
