To the Editor:
I’m writing to express my enthusiastic support for Mercer County Commissioner John Cimino in his reelection bid in the June 2 Democratic primary.
I could list his accomplishments as a County Commissioner and public servant, which are many, but the point of my letter is to speak to his character and his willingness to support and encourage the next generation of Democrats in our party.
I first met John and his father, former Assemblyman Skip Cimino, in the spring of 2017. In the wake of the 2016 election, like many other women, I decided that I needed to get involved in local government and politics. I did not know anyone, or anything, about running for office or about the local party infrastructure. My strategy was to just show up at events, introduce myself, and learn.
John and Skip were the first people to not only take me seriously, but also to provide support, connections, and guidance on my journey.
John did not need to do that. I was no one important. I had no connections, and I knew nothing about New Jersey or Mercer County politics or government. I was just a person looking to get involved and trying to make a difference in a country that was facing extraordinarily challenging times.
In the years since that first meeting, as I’ve run for office and won, and as I’ve become the President of the Mercer County Federation of Democratic Women, John has been an important mentor to me. He is someone I have always been able to call with questions or to act as a sounding board.
In the June 2 Democratic primary, I encourage all Democrats to vote, and to vote for an incumbent who cares deeply about nurturing and bringing along the next generation of Democrats, and particularly Democratic women. Please vote for Commissioner John Cimino.
Courtney Peters-Manning
Hopewell Township Committee Member and Former Mayor
President, Mercer County Federation of Democratic Women
