Mironov leads Mercer Democrats as new party chair
TRENTON » East Windsor Mayor Janice S. Mironov has a new job in party politics.
Members of the Mercer County Democratic Committee appointed Mironov as party chair Wednesday night, effectively making her the top officer and leader of the Mercer County Democrats.
“It is a great honor to receive such wide support from the committee members in Mercer County to assume this leadership position,” Mironov said Thursday in an interview with The Trentonian. “I am particularly excited by all of the very strong support that people have expressed for me and their offers to assist and come involved.”
Mironov replaces former party chairwoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, who got appointed in February as a state legislator in the New Jersey General Assembly. The change in guard took place Wednesday during the Mercer County Democratic Committee’s biennial reorganization meeting.
A proven leader, Mironov in 2016 was inducted into the New Jersey Mayors’ Hall of Fame as a gold member for serving more than 20 years as mayor. Mironov first became mayor in January 1996 when East Windsor Council voted 6-0 to appoint her to the position. Voters have consistently re-elected her every four years, and the seven-member township council has annually reappointed her to the mayor’s seat.
“I’ve known Janice for a very long time, and I am very delighted to see her as chair,” Doris Weisberg, third vice chair of the Mercer County Democrats, said Thursday in an interview. “She is bright and knows what needs to be done. I think it is a great thing, and I am looking forward to working with her. I really am.”
Weisberg, who has previously served on committees with Mironov, described the East Windsor mayor as an “extremely good leader,” adding, “I just have a great deal of respect and admiration for her.”
The party’s reorganization meeting, which took place at the West Trenton Firehouse in Ewing, also saw Mercer County Freeholder Sam Frisby get installed as the first vice chair of the Mercer County Democratic Committee, making him No. 2 in command under Mironov.
“I am incredibly honored,” Frisby said Thursday in an interview with The Trentonian. “People who know me understand my goal is to try to do the best in whatever I touch. It is a great opportunity for me to work with Dems I have been working with for the last 10 years and work with them in a different capacity.”
Reynolds-Jackson did an “absolutely phenomenal job” as party chair, Frisby said. He talked about how Reynolds-Jackson took over the reins of the party in 2016 and helped local Democrats win elections after former chair Rich McClellan died unexpectedly. But the freeholder also talked highly of Mironov, saying her “very methodical way” of governing will help Mercer Democrats in the years ahead.
“I think Janice being the chair is an incredible opportunity for the party itself,” Frisby said of Mironov. “She is an incredible tactician. She knows how to put structures in place that will serve us well. She’s already hit the ground running. I am very excited to work with her.”
The newly appointed party boss, in turn, spoke highly of the ranking officers and members who operate under her leadership. “We have a great team, great individuals who are part of our Mercer County executive committee,” Mironov said, “and I am looking forward to working with all of them and using their skills and talents to support our goal and efforts on behalf of Democratic candidates and elections here in Mercer County.”
As chair of the Mercer County Democrats, Mironov is responsible for carrying out the goals and directives of the party, which exists to help preferred candidates win elections.
“The purpose of the Mercer County Democratic Committee shall be furthering good government, encouraging grass roots participation in the Democratic Party, recruiting and supporting Democratic candidates for Primary and General Elections, developing an open convention system for endorsing Democratic candidates in Primary Elections, and fulfilling the duties assigned to it under Title 19 of the New Jersey Revised Code,” according to the constitution and bylaws of the political organization.
“I am particularly excited to forward the goal of additional reach out within all of our municipalities and to get more people involved in the party,” Mironov said. “I am hoping I can bring my background and my experience in government in elections for municipal organization to help be able to build the party and to help do more reach out and help groom other individuals as well so they can step up to leadership positions in the future.”