Will Cherry Hill Dem Mayoral Race Be Contested?

Cherry Hill Democrats may be headed for a showdown as Cherry Hill's longtime Council President, Democrat Dave Fleisher has announced that he's running for mayor -- the seat currently held by incumbent Mayor Susan Shinn Angulo, also a Democrat.

Fleisher is already endorsed by his fellow council members and several former Cherry Hill mayors as well as other notable area Democrats. Will Shinn Angulo stand for re-election and take on the gauntlet that Fleisher has already assembled, setting up a primary fight this June? No official word yet but several months ago Shinn Angulo told me she'd be running for a second term.

“I am excited about the opportunity to lead as Cherry Hill Mayor," Fleisher said in announcing his candidacy "and I am committed to ensuring the Township is the best place to live, work, play and raise a family." Fleisher adds: “I will use my business experience to run the Township in a manner that is fiscally responsible and invests in our neighborhoods so that people can safely enjoy all Cherry Hill has to offer.”

 

As Council President, Fleisher has a proven track record on holding the line on taxes, leading the Township Council in approving over a dozen balanced budgets with zero municipal tax increases. 

 

Fleisher has also successfully advocated for the preservation of open space throughout the Township and was a driving force in the 2022 passage of a comprehensive ordinance that protects Cherry Hill’s prized trees from being lost to development. 

 

He is the co-founder of the Cherry Hill Human Relations Advisory Committee and was instrumental in the building of the Cherry Hill Library.

 

“I have known and worked with Dave Fleisher for a long time and having been mayor myself, I can tell you he is hands down the best person for the job,” said former Cherry Hill Mayor Chuck Cahn. “Dave is an independent thinker and natural leader with a tremendous business sense who is dedicated to doing what is right for the taxpayers of Cherry Hill.”

 

In addition to Cahn, former mayors Susan Bass Levin, Bernie Platt and Art Simons along with Cherry Hill Councilmembers Jennifer Apell, Brian Bauerle, Bill Carter, Sangeeta Doshi, Michele Golkow, Carole Roskoph and Camden County Commissioner Melinda Kane have also announced their support for Fleisher.

 

“I have had the privilege of serving on Council with Dave Fleisher for several years now and have seen firsthand how he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work,” said Doshi. “He brings a thoughtful and deliberative approach to decision-making and an amazing ability to build consensus. He has led Council with skill and a laser-like focus on what’s best for taxpayers and our neighborhoods, and I look forward to working with him as mayor.”

 

Incumbent Councilmembers Golkow, Bauerle and Apell will join Fleisher on the Democratic ticket.

 

Born and raised in Cherry Hill, Fleisher attended Cherry Hill public schools and graduated from Cherry Hill High School East. He went on to attend Ithaca College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in finance. Today, he is president and managing partner with a successful financial planning firm in the Delaware Valley.

 

Together with his wife, Jen, Fleisher was an active volunteer for the Stockton Elementary and Rosa Middle School PTAs. He also previously served as a member of the State of NJ Government Records Council, which ensures government transparency statewide.

 

Fleisher is a member of the Board of Trustees for Ithaca College and is chair of the college’s Finance and Investment Committee. He is also on the board of Foundations, Inc., a national nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of education for children 

 

Fleisher is a member of Kol Ami synagogue and the Katz JCC Community Center.  He and Jen are the proud parents of three children — all of whom also attended Cherry Hill public schools — and their family dog, Rosie.

 

For more information or to support Dave Fleisher for Cherry Hill Mayor, visit daveforcherryhill.com