Republican Rich DiFolco drops out of Burlco freeholder race

Rich DiFolco, one of two candidates endorsed last month by the Burlington County Republican Committee for two open seats on the county freeholder board, has dropped out of the race.

DiFolco, elected to the Mount Holly Township Council in 2012, released a statement Tuesday that he had changed his mind about running.

"I swore an oath to spend the next four years making our community a safer, more economically vibrant, and affordable place in which to live," he said. "That's why, despite earning the endorsement of the Burlington County Republican Committee last week to run for freeholder this year, I have decided to turn down that opportunity and commit myself to serving out my full term in Mount Holly."

An information-technology manager at Conner Strong & Buckelew in Marlton, DiFolco, 37, was appointed by the council to a second term as mayor in January. He was one of 14 candidates interviewed by the GOP committee, according to Chairman Bill Layton.

"This was not an easy decision," DiFolco said.

The committee also endorsed Katie Gibbs for freeholder in November. Gibbs, 28, of Maple Shade, was executive director and fund-raising director for the GOP committee for four years before she became an administrator with Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative 825 in Springfield Township a year ago.

Layton said he expects a replacement for DiFolco to be named this week. "I was surprised and disappointed that Rich decided not to run because I though he was a great candidate," Layton said.

Democrats are expected to endorse incumbents Aimee Belgard and Joanne Schwartz, who are up for reelection in November after serving three years on the board. Belgard, a lawyer from Edgewater Park and a former councilwoman there, ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Tom MacArthur last November. Schultz is a nursing-home administrator from Southampton Township.

Republicans have dominated the five-member freeholder board for more than three decades, often exclusively. The board currently includes three Republicans and two Democrats.

The filing deadline to run in the June 2 primary is March 30.