Democrats Sweep Princeton

The new Princeton municipal government will be comprised entirely of Democrats, with Liz Lempert elected mayor and the slate of six Democrats easily earning spots on the new council. 

Lempert edged out Republican Dick Woodbridge by a vote of 6,093 to 3,939, according to unofficial results provided by the Clerk's office on Tuesday night. 

Princeton's new council will include current Princeton Township Committee members Bernie Miller (7,114 votes) and Lance Liverman (6,861 votes), Borough Council members Heather Howard (6,914 votes), Jo Butler (6,903 votes) and Jenny Crumiller (6,807 votes), and newcomer Patrick Simon (7,090 votes).

Republican challenger Geoff Aton earned 3,533 votes but failed to earn a spot on council. 

Lempert couldn't stop smiling after the results came in at the Princeton Democratic headquarters on Nassau Street. 

"I'm really excited," Lempert said, adding that she promised her kids a trip to Harry Potter World in Orlando, Fla. as a reward for surviving the campaign. 

"I think it was a competitive race and Dick (Woodbridge) is a formidable opponent," she said. "But I think we kept it largely on the issues and it was good to have a competitive primary and a competitive election."

Down the street at The Ivy Inn, Woodbridge greeted and thanked his supporters and seemed to take his loss in stride. 

"I feel fine," said Woodbridge, a lifelong Princeton resident who previously served on both Borough Council and Township Committee. "We did the best we could and whenever you do your best there can be no regrets." 

Woodbridge supporter Kathy Bagley couldn't help but express her disappointment.

"He ran a fabulous campaign," Begley said. "I think people make up their mind on the basis of party, not on person and that's the anathema of democracy."

Aton, the lone Republican vying for a seat on council, said he had tried to make his campaign more about platform than party. 

"I feel that the whole country is polarized- from Obama to Romney," Aton said. "Ideology has taken over national politics. I told people 'Use one of your six votes to allow me to make the five supermajority Democrats work harder for you.'"

Barack Obama was re-elected President on Tuesday, but before the official results came in, Bernie Miller said he'd already done his own polling to determine the election outcome. 

"My daughter lives in Belmont and my son lives in Michigan and they both voted for Obama," Miller said. "It's a small sample, but it's a good sample."