Flannery Optimistic About New District Representation

With the recent announcement that , Mayor Patricia Flannery is looking forward to the changes ahead, and the possible chance to work with Assemblymen Erik Peterson and John DiMaio, both Republican representatives.

“They are both supporters of Gov. Chris Christie,” she said. “They have conservative fiscal values.”

Flannery said she believes Peterson and DiMaio will take the opportunity to get to know the township, and will remain committed to serving both their current constituents in Warren and Hunterdon counties, and those they now represent in Somerset County.

“By January, I believe they will be up to speed if they are re-elected,” she said. “As long as they are advocates for their constituents, they can get up to speed.”

For the time being, Flannery said, she believes the focus will still remain on taxes and land use as primary concerns for Bridgewater, as they are in Hunterdon County.

Flannery said another positive for the county itself is that, with the redistricting, Somerset will now be represented by six different legislative teams.

“That will give us a lot of representation,” she said. “And we get to know all the other districts through the party. We will get to know other legislatures.”

But that change, Flannery said, could put some stress on the party as a whole.

“Splitting the county will put some stress on the organization,” she said. “But the county Republicans always worked well together, and they come together as a team.”

“They make a more cohesive effort that has always helped us [in the past],” she added.

Flannery said she has already started to reach out to Sen. Mike Dougherty, R-23rd, and is looking forward to getting to know the other representatives.

“Once we have the relationship with them, we can call them,” she said. “And if they have an issue that reflects Bridgewater too, it should be a benefit to us.”