Lacey Democratic Chairman Says DelaCruz Not Forced Out Of Township Committee Race

Local Democratic Municipal Chairman Barry Bendar says rumors that he forced Township Committeewoman Helen DelaCruz out of running for another term are not true.

"That is absolutely false," Bendar said. "I have my suspicions who is behind that. It comes from within the organization."

But Bendar does say he told DelaCruz months ago he was less than happy with her performance on the Township Committee.

"I spoke to Helen," he said. "I was not really thrilled with her on the dais as a Committee person and I made that clear to her. I voiced it to her a very long time ago, before the end of the year."

DelaCruz shocked the audience at a recent Township Committee meeting when she announced she was withdrawing from the race for the two available seats.

She gave no reason publicly for her change of mind. DelaCruz could not be reached for comment for this article.

DelaCruz and fellow Democratic Township Committeeman Sean Sharkey scored an upset victory back in 2010, when they ousted longtime Republican Township Committeeman John Park and .

Sharkey did not file to run for a second term this year.

Bendar said the organization is looking for someone to fill the slot for the November election and run with candidate Gary Vaccaro. He hopes the local Democratic municipal committee will have someone in mind by the July 8 meeting.

"We have to get moving," he said.

Bendar did acknowledge there is a "split" in the local Democratic Club, but he hopes that will be smoothed over soon.

"Yes, there are splits in Lacey," he said. "We are hoping to close the splits up. People are allowed to have an opinion in the Democratic party in Lacey Township."

Bendar said he would consider running with Vaccaro if no one else steps up, so there would be two Democrats on the November ballot.

"I'm going to to talk to Gary and get his feel on it," said Bendar, who has run unsuccessfully for a Township Committee seat in the past. "If he wants me to run with him, I will run with him. I feel that Lacey Township is not being run in the best interests of Lacey Township."

Vaccaro said today that DelaCruz would be "hard to replace."

I have had private conversations with Helen prior to and after her withdrawal announcement," Vaccaro said. "In our conversations, I told her I would support whatever decision she makes, including getting back in the race as my running mate if she so chooses."

DelaCruz is not the first candidate to drop out of the race for the two available seats on the Township Committee this year. Republican Christopher Reid withdrew shortly after the June primary.