Free-For-All Republican Primary In Lacey On Tuesday

by Patricia A. Miller

The trouble was brewing long before the Regular Republican Club of Lacey Township decided not to endorse any Township Council candidates, after a rowdy club screening meeting.

It was no secret this year that Mayor Gary Quinn did not want to run with Township Committeeman Mark Dykoff. It was Dykoff’s turn to be mayor. But Dykoff lost his turn after he punched former Township Committeeman David Most in the face at a Republican Club picnic in Gille Park in September 2014.

Dykoff was issued a summons for simple assault. The matter was eventually heard in Manchester Township Municipal Court, where Most agreed to drop the charges if Dykoff publicly apologized to him.

Quinn has said other factions in the Republican Club tried to pack the club membership earlier this year in an effort to oust him from running in the primary.

The faction included Dykoff, Board of Education member Eric Schubiger and newly-elected school board member David Bidwell, who bought in more than 40 new members for the meeting. Club members eventually decided to let five members run as individuals.

The field of five running in the primary includes Quinn, Tim McDonald, Schubiger, James K. Le Tellier and Thomas Crowell.

Quinn is running with McDonald. Schubiger and Crowell are running together. Le Tellier is running on his own.

There are two available three-year terms on the five-member Township Committee. Committee members select who will serve as mayor each year. Quinn served in 2014 and again this year.

Former Democratic Township Committeewoman Helen De La Cruz is running unopposed in the primary. No other Democrats filed to run.