Updated October 2026: Middlesex County Surrogate Claribel Cortes and Commissioners Charles Tomaro and Leslie Koppel are on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election. Meet all MCDO’s 2026 general election candidates.
Mar 11, 2026
WOODBRIDGE – At its annual Democratic convention this evening, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization endorsed candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives in two districts that touch Middlesex – the 6th and 12th Congressional Districts, Middlesex County Surrogate, and two candidates for the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners.
“2026 is a pivotal year for the Middlesex County Democratic Organization,” said MCDO Chairman Kevin P. McCabe. “Make no mistake this midterm election is one of the most consequential of our lifetime. We have the opportunity to send real fighters to Washington, like Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. and Senator Cory Booker. Democrats who will push back against an agenda that threatens working families, seniors, and the middle class.
“Including Middlesex’s own East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, who will go to Washington and deliver for our families. I have known Mayor Cohen as the Mayor of East Brunswick, and he has helped transform that community. I am excited to see him bring the change he has brought to Rt. 18 to Washington. The progress we believe in does not happen by accident; it takes electing the right people. Middlesex County has always led the way, and this November, we will do it again.
“I am also excited about our County candidates. Commissioner Charlie Tomaro and Commissioner Leslie Koppel will continue the great work our county government is doing. Middlesex County has invested heavily across arts funding, infrastructure modernization, workforce development, public health services, open space preservation, and transportation safety to enhance quality of life, drive economic growth, and serve its 25 municipalities. With these two we will see that progress continue.
“Under Surrogate Claribel Cortes’s leadership, the County Surrogate’s Office has embraced innovation to better serve residents during their most vulnerable times. The progress she has made speaks for itself, and I am excited to stand behind her reelection campaign this spring. Middlesex families will be well served by her continued leadership.”
The candidates who received the Middlesex Democratic endorsement to run in the June 2026 Primary are:
- Cory Booker (Senator)
- Frank Pallone, Jr (Congress, 6th District)
- Brad Cohen (Congress, 12th District)
- Claribel Cortes (County Surrogate)
- Charlie Tomaro, Leslie Koppel (County Commissioner)
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About the County Candidates
Surrogate Claribel Cortes
Claribel Cortes has served as Middlesex County Surrogate since 2021. She is the first woman to hold the office and the first Latina constitutional officer in Middlesex County history.
Surrogate Cortes took office during the COVID-19 pandemic with a goal of making the Surrogate’s Office a resource for families facing unexpected loss. She leads free, bilingual “Make-A-Will” workshops at senior centers across the county. Her office also organizes the county’s annual Adoption Day and helped complete 143 adoptions in 2023 and 2024, welcoming children into permanent homes across Middlesex County.
Surrogate Cortes is running for reelection to keep the Surrogate’s Office accessible for every Middlesex County family.
Commissioner Leslie Koppel
Leslie Koppel is a Democratic candidate for Middlesex County Commissioner. She has served on the Board of County Commissioners since 2017 and chairs its Finance Committee. A lifelong Monroe Township resident, she previously served more than a decade on the Monroe Township Council, including as Council President.
Under Commissioner Koppel’s leadership, Middlesex County has kept its AAA bond rating, cut annual debt payments by 46 percent, and built a $114 million reserve fund. This helped the County deliver $10.9 million in relief grants to over 400 local small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and commit $1 million each year to affordable housing for homeless residents and veterans.
Commissioner Koppel is running for reelection to keep county finances strong while investing in the roads, parks, and services residents use every day.
Commissioner Charles Tomaro
Charles “Charlie” Tomaro is a Democratic candidate for Middlesex County Commissioner. He has served on the Board of County Commissioners since 2011 and chairs its Infrastructure Management Committee. A lifelong Edison resident, he has spent three decades in local public service, including as Edison Township Council President.
Commissioner Tomaro led the County’s Sustainable Energy Master Plan, and 39,000 solar panels now save the County about $2.5 million a year. Under his leadership, Middlesex County has opened four new parks in Perth Amboy, New Brunswick and Edison, renovated Tamarack Golf Course, and preserved more than 13,000 acres of land, including 56 farms.
Tomaro is running for reelection to keep building and caring for the parks, open spaces, and infrastructure Middlesex families rely on.