For those who like political drama the special election scheduled for Nov. 4 shouldn’t disappoint.
A labor organizer, a former councilwoman, and the son of recently resigned councilman Anthony Russo are the three candidates running in the November special election for the Third Ward council seat.
The 3rd Ward post became vacant when recently-elected councilman and former mayor Anthony Russo resigned because of the reoccurrence of his cancer. Russo said the cancer is now in his left adrenal gland. He has been undergoing chemotherapy and is scheduled to have surgery.
Since resigning, Russo has also been indicted on charges of allegedly taking money from city vendors including a waterfront parking operator, towing contractor, accounting firm, and a Board of Education attorney, in exchange for action on municipal contracts. He was also charged with taking money from bar owners. He has pleaded not-guilty on all charges and is awaiting trial.
Running is Michael Russo, 28, who is the son of Anthony Russo, former City Councilwoman Roseanne Andreula, 56, and interim Councilman Vincent Addeo, 43, who was hand picked by Mayor David Roberts.
With all three candidates there are interesting side notes that make this special election particularly captivating. Will the Russo name hurt or help his sons’ chances in the election? The younger Russo is running a platform he calls his own. But the shadow his father cast over this election can not be overlooked. The former mayor won convincingly in May and has strong support and loyal friends in the neighborhood but will his recent federal indictment sour voters when it comes to his son.
For Vincent Addeo, he ran against the mayor’s candidate in May, in fact he finished third in the voting behind Anthony Russo and incumbent Andreula. Addeo’s team, Hoboken First, had been critical of Roberts’ team during the elections, but ended up supporting them during a subsequent runoff between Russo and Andreula, which Russo won.
Now Addeo is that mayor’s candidate. Will Roberts’ coattails, and his considerable campaign war chest, be enough bring him from third place to first?
And one can’t forget about former ten year Councilwoman Andreula, who lost in a Runoff as Mayor Roberts’ candidate in June, and is now running to get her seat back as an independent. It’s a safe bet that she would like nothing better than to beat Roberts’ new candidate. The election will let the city’s residents know if Andruela is a better candidate, with or without the backing of Roberts.