Newtown Borough Democrats Announce 2025 Slate Of Candidates

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — The Democratic Party of Newtown Borough has announced its slate of candidates for the May 20 Primary Election.

Former council member Tara Grunde-McLaughlin is running for mayor, while councilors Emily Heinz, Kris Bauman, and Gina Tognini are seeking to fill three open seats on the borough council.

Tara Grunde-McLaughlin

With 10 years of experience on Newtown Borough Council, including several years of service as vice president and president, Tara Grunde-McLaughlin is running for mayor.

A resident of the borough since 1999, Grunde-McLaughlin said she is "committed to serving the community with thoughtful stewardship of our beloved town." She and her husband Ed raised their four children here, and all have gone through or are now attending Council Rock schools.

During her decade of service on council, Grunde-McLaughlin worked to develop a transformative fire services agreement that assured safety for borough residents while being conscious of costs. She also worked with the borough's nonprofits, the business community and the police chief on an ordinance and permiting process that now allows for alcohol consumption during special events. She also worked on an ordinance addressing short term rentals and was a strong advocate for walkability and pedestrian safety.

During her tenure on council, she served as liaison to the Recreation Board, Zoning Hearing Board, Shade Tree Commission, Environmental Advisory Council, Traffic Committee, Planning Commission, Budget and Finance Committee, Police Committee, and Fire Services Committee. Prior to joining council, she spent six years on the recreation board, giving her a deep understanding of the borough’s needs, values, and operation.

As mayor, Grunde-McLaughlin said she will continue to contribute to fostering the rich, vibrant, and historic character of the borough while using the knowledge and resources she developed on council.

Grunde-McLaughlin is a graduate of Colgate University and holds a Master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Kris Bauman

Kris Bauman is running for another term on borough council. He is a commercial real estate development executive who is responsible for planning and constructing corporate headquarters, office buildings, warehouses and mixed-use centers. He has held executive positions with some of the region's most respected private real estate investment firms, runs his own business, and served for several years as the COO of a nationwide traffic engineering firm.

Bauman has a strong background in professional leadership, managerial expertise, and financial responsibility. He was appointed to council in May 2023 and ran for election the following November in Ward 1 to fill a two-year term.

A resident of Newtown since 1989, Bauman said he is committed to community causes, volunteering on the facilities committee of NOVA Bucks County; on the boards of the Asian Arts Initiative, the Bridge Academy, and the northern New Jersey chapter of the Urban Land Institute; and as a “big brother” to inner city youth. As former chair of the Newtown Borough Planning Commission, Bauman led the effort to adopt the town's first community master plan and modernize the borough’s zoning ordinance.

"I am running for council because I love our borough and want to do my part to help it thrive," said Bauman. "I sincerely feel that we have a special community here – wonderful people, homes, businesses and institutions that all need each other and benefit from working together. Penny and I have friends whose families have been here for generations; we have friends who just moved in. Everybody has something to contribute.

Bauman continued, "Listening, thinking creatively, talking things through – that’s what has always worked for me professionally and it’s what I believe works best here in the borough, too. We can and should work towards our best possible future without ever losing sight of what we have, and what makes this place unique. I look forward to doing the work and serving to the best of my abilities, always in the interest of our amazing Newtown Borough.”

Emily Heinz

Emily Heinz is running for re-election to Newtown Borough Council from Ward 1 to continue giving back to the community where she grew up.

Heinz is in her fourth year as a Newtown Borough councilor and currently serves as president. She believes in fostering a community environment that is both collaborative and respectful, and approaches her council duties with a teamwork mentality. She has previously served as vice president and is, or has been, liaison to the recreation board; streets, lights, and properties; HARB; JHC; budget and finance; Walk Friendly Newtown; police committee; and Fire Services Committee.

Heinz said she is looking forward to getting to work on her upcoming priorities including a new, user-friendly borough website and increased digital communication, the re-establishment of a Main Streets program or similar revitalization efforts on State Street, continuing efforts to protect the historical integrity of the borough, and ongoing planning for pedestrian safety and walkability.

A 2003 graduate of Council Rock, Heinz earned her music business degree from the University of Memphis and currently works as production manager for an early-childhood music education company.

Gina Tognini

Gina Tognini is running for election to the borough council in the town's second ward.

With a business degree, and a strong history of community leadership, as well as a successful record as a professional real estate agent in highly competitive markets, Gina Tognini is running for election to Newtown Borough Council after serving eight months as an appointed member from Ward 2.

As the Borough liaison to the Walk Friendly Newtown Committee, Tognini is focused on issues that impact the lives of everyone in the borough: from traffic control measures to pedestrian safety
measures; from collaborating with the police department to identifying emerging traffic issues, to conducting public safety awareness campaigns.

In her next term on Borough Council, Tognini said would like to expand her interests in traffic and pedestrian safety to focus also on helping the borough expand its use of public spaces like parks and walking trails to offer Newtowners of all ages more opportunities to get together and strengthen their connections outdoors in these "third" spaces. She is actively seeking grants to fund such community-building projects.

A Washington Avenue resident for the past 13 years, Tognini was immediately drawn to the community's small-town ambience and rich history and became a board member of the Newtown Historic Association in 2023. As she launches her campaign for a Council seat, she notes, "I am honored to serve my neighbors and pledge to continue my work to keep our borough a beloved community."