Trenton Mayor Gusciora and McNair Headed for December Runoff

Trenton Mayor Faces Dec. 8 Runoff After Finishing Behind Police Detective Corey McNair in Mercer County Election

Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora is headed for a December runoff after finishing a distant second in a six-candidate municipal race, according to unofficial Mercer County results reported by the Jersey Vindicator. Corey McNair, a police detective and first-time candidate, led the field with 4,417 votes, or 37.12%, while Gusciora secured 2,767 votes, or 23.25%. That left McNair 1,650 votes ahead, a margin of nearly 14 percentage points, when all districts reported.

Because Trenton’s municipal elections are nonpartisan and require a candidate to capture more than 50% of the vote to win outright, the top two finishers advance. The Dec. 8 contest will mark the city’s first mayoral runoff since 2018, when Gusciora himself advanced past the first round to defeat Paul Perez. Gusciora later won a second term in 2022 without needing a runoff.

McNair and Gusciora Advance to Mayoral Runoff

A lifelong Trenton resident, the 38-year-old McNair has served over ten years in the municipal police force as both a patrol officer and a detective, and is presently assigned to the community affairs unit. He campaigned on public safety as his top priority and advocated for a public dashboard to track Trenton Water Works projects, spending, and deadlines. Gusciora, 66, sought a third term after spending 22 years in the state Assembly. During his time in office, he has pointed to an increase in annual state aid from $6 million to $69 million alongside a $763 million capital plan for Trenton Water Works.

The rest of the six-candidate field carved up the remaining vote share. Austin Edwards finished third with 1,709 votes, or 14.36%, followed closely by Jasi Edwards with 1,480 votes, or 12.44%, who had picked up the endorsement of former council candidate Atalaya Armstrong in the final week of the race. Rolando Ramos brought in 1,191 votes, or 10.01%, while Edward Forchion received 299 votes, or 2.51%, alongside 37 write-in ballots.

Adam Hamawy Wins the 12th Congressional District

Across the wider county, voters reshaped federal representation. Adam Hamawy, a plastic surgeon and former Army combat surgeon who grew up in the district and lives in South Brunswick, won the open 12th Congressional District seat, according to The Daily Princetonian and Associated Press reporting. Hamawy captured nearly 80% of the Mercer County vote, running well ahead of his districtwide share.

Districtwide, Hamawy tallied 70.2% of the vote to 28.3% for Republican Gregg Mele, with about 93% of the expected vote counted according to NBC News results. The district’s Union County portion gave him 90.7%, Somerset gave him 72%, and Middlesex gave him 62.4%. Hamawy replaces Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who held the seat since 2015 and endorsed him in July. His platform featured universal Medicare, a tax on billionaire wealth, and halting American arms shipments to Israel.

Cory Booker Secures Third Full Senate Term

As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, sitting official David Cohen and Marina Rubina were out in front for the two available Princeton Council seats in Princeton, drawing on Mercer County Clerk’s Office data via Patch reports. Cohen, seeking a fourth term, pulled in 7,535 votes, or about 44.5%, while Rubina secured 7,286 votes, or about 43.1%. Republican Antonio Merolli trailed with 1,919 votes, or about 11.3%. Beth A. Behrend, Eleanor Hubbard, and Adam Bierman ran unopposed for three seats on the Princeton Board of Education.

Dec. 8 Runoff and Certification Timeline

Trenton voters will return to the polls on Dec. 8 to choose between McNair and Gusciora. Meanwhile, remaining mail and provisional ballots are being processed across Mercer County, with the Mercer County Clerk’s Office slated to certify final results later in November. Other local contests, including races for the Board of County Commissioners, sheriff, surrogate, and Hopewell Township committee seats, await final certified totals.