Baehr '05 to campaign for Borough Council seat

After spending the summer working for the Bush administration in Washington, D.C., Evan Baehr '05 returned to campus this year intent on winning a seat on Princeton's Borough Council by defining his candidacy not by his Republican politics, but by his association with the University.

"The Council is not voting on abortion or war . . . it is voting on local issues, ordinances and on [issues pertinent to] local citizens," said Baehr, who is president of the College Republicans and former editor-in-chief of the Princeton Tory.

"Council members should not be seen as Democratic or Republican, but as pro-student or pro-resident," he said.

And along that ideological spectrum, Baehr sees himself as squarely pro-student, citing his goal of further transparency in Council proceedings and his strong opposition to the proposed alcohol ordinance, which which would allow police to cite underage drinkers on private property.

To win one of the two available Council seats, Baehr will have to defeat either Andrew Koontz or Roger Martindell, both Democratic incumbents. While Koontz was appointed to the Council this past year to fill a vacancy, Martindell has held his seat for more than 15 years.

According to USG President Matt Margolin '05, students need a voice on the Council by virtue of their role in the local economy and their membership in eating clubs.

"My thinking is that it's a good idea to have a student representative on the town council," former president of the College Democrats Owen Conroy '05 said. "But it is unwise to think that any student is automatically better than any town resident, which I think is maybe the thinking of some people here."

While Conroy said he respects Baehr's political aptitude and leadership, he said Baehr's conservative views make him a less-than-ideal match for Princeton's traditionally liberal voters.

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Conroy said that overall views of government should be an important factor in campaigns for government posts, regardless of the position.

While University students could dominate local election numbers, they are not currently a large factor in town politics. Only a fraction of the student body is registered to vote locally. Mayor Joseph O'Neill said that in the 2002 election, University students accounted for less than 250 of about 2,000 votes cast.

The low number of students voting is just the first of many challenges Baehr's campaign will face. Perhaps the most obvious obstacle will be his conservative politics, which put him at odds with a Borough that has not elected a Republican council member since the early 1990s.

O'Neill suggested that a platform seen as too pro-University would garner scorn from local Democrats and Republicans alike.

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However, Baehr is confident that the correct alignment of constituencies will vote him on to the council.

In addition to a large student vote, a more likely scenario in this presidential election year, he is counting on strong support from local Republicans and independents, as well what he sees as a large group of registered Democrats who are growing tired of what he called Borough "mismanagement."

Timing concerns present another roadblock for Baehr, who, while seeking a three year long commitment, is scheduled to graduate this year. While Baehr couldn't guarantee his ability to serve out the term if elected, he said that he had explored several options that would allow him to serve the term.

O'Neill categorized Baehr's chances of victory as remote, saying he had "no doubt" that the incumbents would "carry the day." The mayor did, however, continue to express interest in University students becoming involved with local politics and suggested that the election would be "useful experience" for Baehr.

Baehr is not the first University student to seek a seat on the Borough Council. Steven Abt '04, then a sophomore, sought the position as an independent in the 2001 election. In his campaign, he too stressed the importance of having council members loyal to the University as well as to the Borough.

Abt ultimately lost the election to Martindell, then a 12-year veteran of the council and O'Neill.