Sparks Fly in Borough Mayoral Race

Sparks are starting to fly in the race for Princeton Borough Mayor, just weeks before voters head to the polls on Nov. 8.

According to a report in the Princeton Packet, Democrat Yina Moore lampooned her opponent, Republican Jill Jachera, in song parody at the Princeton Community Democratic Organization’s night on Sunday.

That parody has Jachera requesting an apology and Moore refusing to give one, claiming the song was never meant for a public audience.

According to the Packet report, an audio recording (in which some of the words are not discernable) of the song captured these lyrics:

”First I was afraid, I was petrified kept thinking I could never live in this town with you next door, but I spent so many nights thinking how you did my children wrong, I grew strong, I learned how to carry on.

And so Jill, you’re back from outer space. You just walked up here with that drab look on your face; I should have changed the stupid lock to the castle gates. I should have made you leave your key to the other Hodge Road house you lived on anyway if I had known for just one second you’d be back to bother us.

Go on now, go on walk out the door, just turn around and leave town now because you’re not welcome anymore."

Weren’t you the one who tried to hurt all your neighbors and ... you’d think they’d lay down and die, oh no, not the Western section, the folks on Hodge, Library ... as long as we know how to love Princeton will stay alive, we’ve got all of time to live, all our love to give and we’ll survive. We’ll survive.”

Jachera did not attend Sunday’s event. She said she first heard about the song on Tuesday afternoon as she and Moore sat in an editorial board meeting with Princeton Packet Editor Cal Kileen.

“My initial reaction was that I was disappointed and offended but not surprised, because it’s not atypical in political campaigns that people who don’t have a legitimate criticism of my candidacy will resort to pettiness,” Jachera told Patch.

Moore said Thursday that Sunday’s event was a meeting advertised by email to members.

But an email from PCDO member Caroline Hancock dated Oct. 9 explained that the Oct. 16 meeting was open to public.

“The general public is invited to meet the Democratic candidates in this November’s races, hear their latest ideas on the crucial issues facing our community, and ask them probing questions about the issues,” the email read in part.

“It was a membership meeting, it was not generally people walking in off the street,” Moore said.

She defended the song, saying the Gloria Gaynor "I will Survive" parody was only meant in a lighthearted way.

“I think these songs speak for themselves” Moore said. “I will survive, we will survive, the community will survive all that we are going through at this time.”

The references to Jachera only reflects on her personal experiences with Jachera as a former neighbor, but when pressed Moore declined to elaborate.

“I regret that she feels it is negative, but I certainly feel the way that I feel in term of being former neighbors,” Moore said.

But that doesn't make sense to Jachera.

"As far as Yina has represented to the public, and according to her voter registration, she lives on Green Street," Jachera said. "I have never know Yina to be my neighbor, nor have I ever had any interaction with her until this election."

Jachera said the song parody shows poor judgment from someone who may be Princeton’s next mayor.

“Even if it was private, it doesn’t make it acceptable for someone running as CEO of our community, a community facing real problems and that needs real leadership to get us through those,” Jachera said. “Is this the kind of leader you want at a time when you want to build consensus? Is this how you confront people you don’t agree with?”