Republicans Mathieu, Martin Win in Garwood

Incumbent Jim Mathieu (Conservative Republican) and candidate Mike Martin (Regular Garwood GOP) have both won seats on Garwood Council, beating write-in challenger Bruce Paterson (register Democrat, running as an Independent). 

The Garwood Democrats did not field a candidate in this election. This will be Mathieu's second term on council. Martin was the top vote-getter, while Paterson was able to garner 157 write-in votes.

Tallies: Total - (Districts 1, 2, 3, 4) 
Martin: 722 total votes - (183, 269, 161, 109) 
Mathieu: 585 total votes - (141, 218, 141, 85) 
Paterson: 157 total votes - (35, 60, 43, 19) 

"I'm just glad that Jim didn't get a mandate for his extremist opinion and his nonproductive record," Martin told Patch. "But I'm disappointed that Bruce Paterson and I both did not win. Bruce is a dedicated, passionate resident of Garwood and he would have been a great council person."

Martin also ran in the 2012 council election. 

"It feels a lot better to win, that’s for sure," he said. "I really want to thank all of the support that I got from fellow Republicans and Democrats."

"We are really pleased to see Mike do so well," added Mayor Patricia Quattrocchi, who once ran with Mathieu but has since been butting heads with him. "Mike was the big vote-getter and all of the council members are looking forward to working with him."

Mathieu says he's looking forward to three more years on council.

"I’m ecstatic to be going back to the council for three more years to fight for Garwood’s taxpayers," he told Patch. "And more importantly, I’m looking forward to galvanizing a movement afoot in Garwood to change politics down at borough hall."

As far as his opponents, both of whom have been critical of him, Mathieu said, "Bruce Paterson 2.0 as a Democrat is a tough sell in Garwood, because he has burned a lot of bridges and alienated a lot of the Democrats here and in Elizabeth."

And as for Martin and the mayor, Mathieu said, "I’m not going to let the fact that they campaigned against me door-to-door get in the way of working with them for the good of Garwood. But it does indicate the need for new leadership in Garwood’s GOP, since the mayor and Mike refused to honor the choice of Garwood's Republican voters and put me on the ballot."

Paterson was gracious in defeat. 

"Win or lose, I just hope moving forward this election has the council cooperating, compromising and using common sense," Paterson told Patch.