EDISON, NJ — Mayor Sam Joshi has emerged as the clear Democratic nominee for a second term, winning a wide margin over two challengers in Edison’s June 10 primary election. The results reinforce his strong position in township politics — even as the influential Indian-American voter base showed signs of internal division.
Joshi received 8,717 votes, outpacing businessman Lav Patel, who earned 2,245 votes, and Councilman Richard Brescher, who received 1,893.
Although two of the three Democratic candidates, Sam Joshi and Lav Patel, are of Indian-American heritage, the race revealed differing loyalties and rival party factions within that community. Patel’s campaign aligned with a group historically opposed to Joshi’s allies, yet the mayor’s support proved broad and durable across voting blocs.
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“Thank you, everything we do is for the residents of Edison. On to the general election in November. Note these are not the final results and our margin is growing,” Joshi wrote in a Facebook post late Tuesday, also sharing an image of the vote tally.
Joshi’s endorsed slate for township council — Biral Patel, Kelli Dima, and Robert Kentos — also performed strongly, each earning just under 7,000 votes. Opposing candidates Jayesh Mehta, Ingrid Chen, and Anthony DeAmorin finished far behind. Former council president Joyce Ship-Freeman, running independently, placed seventh overall.
Looking ahead to the general election in November, Joshi will face Republican challenger Gloria Dittman, a former president of the Edison Arts Society, as well as independent candidate David Tingle, who is running under the “People’s Choice 2025” banner.
On the council side, Republican nominees Russell Azzarello, Kartik Nath, and Samiksha Sharma will appear on the ballot, alongside independent Elizabeth Conway, another member of the “People’s Choice” slate.
Joshi’s political rise gained momentum during a period of internal Democratic conflict in Edison. His 2021 primary victory over then-local party chairman Mahesh Bhagia reshaped party dynamics and helped solidify county-level support for his administration.
With a consolidated Democratic base and a united council slate, the mayor now heads into the fall campaign with a strong advantage, though independent challengers could reshape the electoral dynamics in unpredictable ways.
The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 4, alongside races for governor, county officials, and state legislators in the 18th District.