Who will be chosen to fill the vacancy in the state Assembly's 18th Legislative District?
The state Assembly chambers at the Statehouse in Trenton. EDISON -- After a spirited debate and political confab Thursday night, the roughly 300 members of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization will select the candidate to fill the vacant seat in the state Assembly's 18th Legislative District.
The candidates vying for the seat are Highland Park Councilwoman Elsie Foster-Dublin, Edison council members Robert Karabinchak and Sapana Shah, and South River Councilman Matthew Vaughn.
The meeting comes just a few days after the former bearer of the Assembly seat, Patrick Diegnan, was appointed to fill another vacancy in the state Senate after former state senator Peter Barnes III was nominated a state Superior Court judge.
Diegnan was widely considered the favorite to ascend to Barnes' seat.
But less clear is who will replace Diegnan.
And ever since the opportunity emerged, lots of curiosity has permeated throughout the county's political sphere, all tensely wondering who would be tapped to fill the intermittent opening.
The committee will hold its confab at the Middlesex County College Performing Arts Center on Woodbridge Avenue in Edison at 6 p.m.
Seven towns will be represented by the 300 members on Thursday.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.