The fight for Hoboken Democratic Committee seats is underway in that town, stirring up rumors that Mayor Dawn Zimmer may be making a deal with the long-time Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) to have her seated as the new chairperson for the Democrats in Hoboken.
A local Democratic Committee has a lot of power over the movement of campaign funds and support during elections – even non-partisan elections, since most candidates in Hoboken are usually Democrats anyway.
If Zimmer could control the party apparatus, she would have a huge leg up in the six spring, 2011 municipal ward council seat elections. So in some ways, the committee battle that will be settled at this June’s primary is the first blow in next year’s municipal efforts and could signify whether Zimmer can keep a voting majority on the City Council a year from now. If Zimmer gets the chairmanship, she will replace Assemblyman Ruben Ramos in that slot.
Those close to Zimmer dispute these reports, saying that she and HCDO Chairman Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy have not come to an arrangement that would give Zimmer the seat. Some say that as part of the deal, they would have to support former Hoboken school board member Frank Raia as the next freeholder.
People close to Raia said there is no truth to the reports, and claim that Raia’s decision to drop out of the upcoming Hoboken school board race was meant to boost the chances that the Zimmer-backed Kids First ticket. Raia was heading a slate of independents. There is also a group facing off against Kids First called “Real Results.”
However, it appears more likely that Raia dropped out because he didn’t want to become a political football, used as a target by one group and as a bank account for another.
No one runs against Russo’s committee candidates
Other sources said Zimmer may have made a deal with Councilman Michael Russo for Russo to support Kids First. The Zimmer camp filed only 48 candidates out of a potential 72 Democratic committee seats citywide, and filed none in opposition to Russo’s committee people entrenched in the 3rd Ward. Russo, however, said he is supporting several independent candidates in the school board election and is not supporting Kids First. There are 23 committee seats up for grabs, and he believes his group can get most of them.
If Zimmer is seeking to take over the Democratic Committee, she may have to beat off a counter group called “Real Democrats for Hoboken,” who claim they intend to stop the Zimmer takeover.
Perez will be opposed in the Republican primary
The race for Hudson County sheriff got much more interesting this week. Formerly a celebrated Democrat, incumbent Sheriff Juan Perez will run as a Republican – and will face off against Democratic candidate Undersheriff Frank X. Schillari. But if Perez thought he would get a free ride, he is sadly mistaken. Christian Araujo, a close associate of Schillari, has filed a Republican primary challenge against Perez, obviously with the idea of forcing Perez to deplete his limited resources so that Schillari – bankrolled by the powerful HCDO – can roll over Perez in the November election.
Markarski is running after all
Secaucus school board member Michael Makarski says he didn’t decide to run in the Democratic Primary for council in Secaucus until about a week before the filing deadline, even though rumors emerged more than a month ago that he might be running.
“I’m running because I think I can do a good job,” he says.
However, this puts him on a collision course with incumbent councilman John Shinnick, and – depending on what Secaucus Democratic Committee Chairman Vincent Prieto decides, possibly Mark Bucchino, too.
Bucchino is someone courted by different political groups over the last year, and could easily run as an independent. But if he runs as a Democrat, it would likely be with Prieto’s blessing.
Defenders of Prieto’s efforts to pull together the Secaucus Democrats have been particularly irritated by this column’s comments.
“This is new to Vinnie. You have to remember he inherited a terrible situation, and he’s never had to handle the Democratic committee before,” one Secaucus resident said. “He got dumped into the middle of a mess, and he’s doing the best he can.”
When anti-matter and matter collide
State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack refused a one-on-one debate with his rival Frank Scarafile for Union City Commissioner at the offices of the Hudson Reporter last week. Stack eventually agreed to come in to the offices where he could answer the same questions separately.
You have to wonder if Stack feared an explosive reaction if the two men were to occupy the same place at the same time, much in the way scientists speculate that matter and anti-matter might cause the end of the universe if brought together.
Both candidates proved to be very articulate and their answers will shortly appear on the Hudson Reporter website, www.hudsonreporter.com.
Remembering Stewart Udall
Jack Butchko, who is running for council in Bayonne, has some fond memories of Stewart Udall, who died at 90 on March 20. Butchko had an opportunity to work with Udall – who served as secretary of the Interior under presidents Kennedy and Johnson in the 1960s.
In 1974, Udall, a leading environmentalist, was working on issues pertaining to the state of Hawaii, and recommended to the Hawaii Congressional Delegation that they add Butchko to their Capitol Hill staff.
Butchko said Udall became his mentor on Capitol Hill. Udall’s son Tom is currently as the U.S. senator from New Mexico.