DE LUCA POPULARITY BIGGER THAN EVER

This week's Township Committee election is an interesting study in the rise and continued popularity of Mayor Vic De Luca.

A reminder, the results from Tuesday's race:

Vic De Luca……………………...4,997      45.27%

India Larrier…………………….3,770      34.16%

Kurt Kiley………………………..1,196      10.84%

Angel “Bob” Perez…………....1,060       9.6%

The first noticeable result is De Luca continuing his long-running popularity with a decisive victory over his challengers, but also yet another vindication of his work as mayor for the past six years.

If you look at De Luca's previous campaign success, the 4,997 votes he garnered this year show a sharp increase over his winning totals just three years ago when he took home 3,129 votes in an off-year election. But his percentage was 39% then, now up to 45%.

Three years prior to that, the last of the election results available online for his campaign, he again led the overall vote in 2008 with more than 8,000 votes. Of course, that was a presidential election year, a time when more votes are cast. But his percentage was also decisive at 43%.

Even when we disagree withe the mayor, we gladly concede he has the township's best interest at heart, showing up at all number of events, running TC meetings for the most part fairly and professionally, and keeping Maplewood away from any hint of scandal that seems to engulf many of our neighboring towns.

The mayor's success and popularity only seem to be getting greater. And it is almost a given the Township Committee will again choose him to serve as mayor for the seventh straight year, if he wants it.

If you look at the time and energy he spends on the job, it is likely he will want to continue. And if the election results are any indication, the township will be glad to have hi.