Dan Benson announced himself as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Mercer County Executive. Benson is an incumbent Assemblyman and former member of the Hamilton Township Council and the Mercer County Board of Commissioners.

“I’m running for Mercer County Executive to move our county forward and lead an effective administration that promotes new ideas and thoughtful innovation. We are at a historic crossroads. With unprecedented levels of federal investment available and with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, we find ourselves in a position of extraordinary opportunity. But right now, we’re letting these opportunities slip through our fingers. With real leadership, we can seize these opportunities and bring about a county government that works for all of us,” Benson said.

Benson is challenging 20-year incumbent Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes for the Democratic nomination set for the spring of 2023.

“Our county government must do better on what it should do best: infrastructure, social services, public safety, education and public health. Whether it’s clean water, safe roads, economic investment, or equitable access to transportation, we should be leading the way. Post-pandemic, our needs have changed. We have a substance abuse and mental health crisis that is as challenging as the pandemic itself, and too many working families are both food and housing insecure. We need to restore transparency and make it easier to access services and information. We can and must meet this moment before it is too late,” Benson said.

Benson also announced that the Honorable Jeannine Frisby-LaRue will serve as Campaign Chair. Frisby-LaRue of Trenton is a long-time executive, civil rights leader, community activist and campaign veteran. Benson launches his campaign with a wide range of endorsements from elected officials and Democratic leaders from across all of Mercer County.

Benson’s growing list of endorsements include:

EAST WINDSOR

• Deputy Mayor and Democratic Club President Peter Yeager
• Council Member Denise Daniels
• Council Member Marc Lippman
• Council Member Alan Rosenberg
• Council Member/Democratic Municipal Committee Vice-Chairperson David Russell
• Council Member John Zoller
• Democratic Club Vice President Tony Katawick 

EWING

• Commissioner Lucylle Walter
• Council Member/MCDC First Vice Chairperson Jennifer Keyes-Maloney
• Council Member Kathleen Wollert
• MCDC Recording Secretary Howard Greenberg
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice-Chair Mary Corrigan
• Democratic Club President Carl Benedetti Jr.
• Democratic Club Corresponding Secretary Walt Brown
• Charles Geter, Democratic leader and activist

HAMILTON

• Sheriff Jack Kemler
• Commissioner John Cimino
• Commissioner Nina Melker
• Mayor Jeff Martin
• Council Member and Democratic Municipal Chair Rick Tighe
• Council Member Pat Papero
• Council Member Nancy Phillips
• Democratic Club President Gary Schuck
• Democratic Club Vice President Janna Sheinman
• Democratic State Committeewoman Scarlett Rajski
• Michael Maloney, Business Manager, Plumbers Local 9

HIGHTSTOWN

• Mayor Lawrence Quattrone 
• Mayor-Elect/Council Member and Democratic Club President Susan Bluth
• Council Member and Democratic Municipal Chairperson Fred Montferrat
• Council Member Cristina Cormio Fowler
• Council Member and Democratic Club Vice President Joseph Cicalese
• Council Member and Democratic Municipal Committee Vice Chairperson Joshua Jackson
• Council Member Steve Misiura

HOPEWELL BOROUGH

• Council Member and Democratic Municipal Chairperson Samara McAulife
• Council Member Ryan Kennedy
• Council Member-Elect Krista Weaver

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP

• Commissioner Kristin McLaughlin
• Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning
• Deputy Mayor Michael Ruger
• Committee Member David Chait
• Committee Member Kevin Kuchinski
• Committee Member Uma Purandare
• Democratic Municipal Committee Chairperson Bill Stolow
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice-Chairperson Julie Blake

LAWRENCE 

• Commissioner-Elect and Councilwoman Cathleen Lewis
• Mayor John Ryan
• Council Member Christopher Bobbitt
• Council Member James Kownacki
• Democratic State Committee Member and Former Mayor Greg Puliti
• Democratic Municipal Committee Chairperson Elissa Grodd Schragger
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice-Chairperson Eric Puliti
• Democratic Club President Olympia I’liou Perry
• Democratic Club Vice President Sigmund Zegarski

PENNINGTON

• Mayor James Davy
• Democratic Municipal Committee Chairperson and Council Member Nadine Stern
• Council Member Katrina Angarone
• Council Member Charles “Chico” Marciante
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice Chairperson Reba Holley

PRINCETON

• Mayor Mark Freda
• Council Member David Cohen
• Council President Leticia Fraga
• Council Member Eve Niedergang
• Council Member Michelle Pirone-Lambros
• Council Member Mia Sacks
• Council Member Leighton Newlin 
• Democratic Municipal Committee Chairperson Owen O’Donnell
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice Chairperson Felicia Spitz
• MCDC Corresponding Secretary Jon Durbin
• Princeton Community Democratic Organization President Tommy Parker
• Princeton Community Democratic Organization Vice President Jane Manners

ROBBINSVILLE

• Democratic Municipal Chairperson Charles “Rick” Austin
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice Chairperson Carol Ann Blank
• Democratic Club President Kiran Agrahara
• Democratic Club Vice President Amanda Gruber

TRENTON 

• Mercer Commissioner Samuel Frisby
• Former Mayor Douglas Palmer
• Councilwoman-elect Teska Frisby
• Crystal Feliciano, At-large Council Candidate
• Former Councilwoman Annette Lartigue
• Former Councilman Manuel Segura
• Dave Ponton, Mercer Democratic Party Blue Wave Chairperson
• Andrew Bobbit, GOTV Coordinator Trenton Democratic Party
• Brian Blakely, Community leader
• Lance Lopez, Community leader

WEST WINDSOR

• Democratic Municipal Committee Chairperson and Democratic Club President Charmi Patel-Pena
• Democratic Municipal Committee Vice Chairperson Fauzia Farooqui
• Democratic Municipal Committee Treasurer Willa Inlender
• Democratic Municipal Committee Secretary Daniel Weiss
• Former Councilman and Democratic State Committeeman Ying Chao “YZ” Zhang