Union Dems to pick Cohen replacement next week

Union County Democrats will meet next Tuesday at a special convention to elect the replacement for former Assemblyman Neil Cohen, who resigned his seat late last month after child pornography was allegedly found on one of his legislative office computers.

The replacement will be selected by the members of the county’s Democratic committee from the four towns that comprise Legislative District 20: Roselle, Elizabeth, Union Township and Kenilworth. But the endorsement by the district’s other two legislators – Assemblyman/Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan and State Sen. Ray Lesniak -- will undoubtedly weigh heavily on the committee’s decision.

Among the local political players said to be interested in the post are Roselle Councilwoman Cecelia Dallis-Ricks; Union County Freeholder Director Angel Estrada; Elizabeth Councilwoman Patricia Perkins-Auguste; Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova; Roselle Councilman and former Cohen Chief-of-Staff Jamel Holley and Roselle Mayor Garrett Smith, who has butted heads with party leaders in the past.

Whoever the Democrats select to replace Cohen will remain in the seat until November’s general election, when he or she will likely face a challenge from a Republican candidate. The district has a 4-1 Democratic registration advantage.

Lesniak, who earlier pledged that the replacement will be a minority, has been on vacation and has not recently talked to any of the potential candidates. He remained uncommitted today, and will start mulling over his pick when he returns on Wednesday.

“People stopped calling me maybe about a week ago,” he said. “Basically, I put the word out that I’m vacation.”

Cryan declined to comment on the situation.