As Mayor Richard Turner goes, so go the residents of Weehawken. Four years ago, Turner gave his wholehearted support to former Gov. Christie Whitman in her re-election efforts. Weehawken voters followed suit, choosing Whitman over then-challenger Jim McGreevey by more than 600 voters.
This time around, Turner, a registered independent with no party affiliation, turned his support to Democratic candidate McGreevey instead of Republican Bret Schundler, as did most key Hudson political figures. Turner was highly visible in his support of McGreevey and spent three personal days last week campaigning in Weehawken for the former Woodbridge mayor who is now Governor-Elect. Weehawken voters followed their leader’s call with 2,174 votes for McGreevey and only 839 for Schundler – a 72-to-17 percent margin.
"I believed that McGreevey will keep the mainstream New Jersey policies in place that will help Weehawken the most," Turner said last week. "I had great respect for Bret Schundler as the mayor of Jersey City, but in this campaign, he went way too far to the extreme. I’m always happy when a mayor is elected, because mayors always understand our problems on the municipal level. And I had a great relationship with Jim when he was the mayor of Woodbridge. I’ve known him for quite some time."
Turner said the main reason for his support of McGreevey had to do with Schundler’s stance on education. "His plan to direct public education funds to charter schools was unacceptable," Turner said. "The plan focused on an unfounded limited number of children and was very misleading. It would take away state aid from districts like Weehawken, because we don’t get the additional aid that urban [Abbott] districts get. So then, we’d have to make up the difference with property taxes or cut our educational services. Schundler was making a string of promises that didn’t add up for us."
Turner said that his support of McGreevey also showed how much of an independent Turner is.
"Four years ago, we backed Christie Whitman because she represented more moderate views," Turner said. "We felt the same thing this time with McGreevey, who we felt was going to maintain some of Whitman’s policies. Even though there’s a change in the party line, I believe McGreevey will be a continuation of what Whitman did."
Turner added, "People always ask me how I can go back and forth across party lines as an independent. I go beyond party labels and ideologies to find the person who will best serve the interest of the residents of Weehawken. I believe McGreevey is that person and will be that person. So I’m elated with the results."
Weehawken, traditionally a Democratic township, toed the party line throughout the other elections as well, supporting incumbent State Senator Bernard Kenny over Republican Nancy Gaynor in the state Senate 33rd District race. Kenny received 2,008 votes to Gaynor’s 726.
In the Assembly races, Weehawken supported winners Albio Sires and Rafael Fraguela by better than two-to-one margins over their Republican opponents. Sires is now being considered as a candidate for the state assembly speaker seat.
Weehawken voters also overwhelmingly supported incumbent Joseph Cassidy in his re-election for county sheriff and Mary Donnelly in her bid to gain re-election for county register.