State Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack unveiled his own proposed map for the redistricting of Hudson County state legislative districts at a meeting of the county Democratic leadership last week, a map that defies most logic except his own and will likely violate the national Voting Rights Act.
Stack, attempting to avoid having his district pushed deeper into Jersey City, is seeking to keep West New York and Guttenberg, and is locked in a power struggle with state Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco for control of North Hudson.
The unveiling of the map came at the leadership meeting held at the Chandelier restaurant in Bayonne, presided over by Hudson County Democratic Organization Chairman and Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith.
The map Stack proposed would put Bayonne in the 32nd District along with Kearny, Harrison, East Newark, Secaucus, and North Bergen, and would reconfigure the 31st district, giving state Senator Sandra Cunningham most or all of Jersey City, and leaving West New York and Guttenberg in Stack’s district, the 33rd.
But the map could violate the federal Voting Rights Act by reducing the percentage of minorities in the 32nd district by about 48 percent. More importantly, it relies on a dubious geographical connection between Bayonne and Kearny over water where no bridge exists. All parts of a legislative district have to connect physically in some way.
Proposed maps were due to be submitted to the Democratic state leadership last week for review by attorneys before being submitted for consideration to a state redistricting committee. The maps submitted show the proposed restricting largely unchanged, with Bayonne and Jersey City still making up the 31st District, while the Jersey City portion of the 32nd District will be pushed into the 31st District, forcing Stack to give up West New York and Guttenberg.
Rodriguez files to run for mayor of West New York
Some Sacco people are scratching their heads over 33rd District Assemblywoman Caridad Rodriguez, who has said she will seek petitions to run for mayor of West New York against incumbent Sal Vega.
This is a sore blow to Vega, who until this point had two relatively weak opponents, Dr. Felix Roque and Fior D’Aliza Frias.
The real danger for Vega is that Roque, who has money and organizing skills, could decide to run for the Board of Commissioners on a ticket with Rodriquez with the understanding that he would support her for mayor. Rodriguez has name recognition, as well as support from Union City Mayor Stack, Rep. Albio Sires, and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner.
Vega supporters have already threatened to make the election “ugly” if Rodriguez actually enters the race, a warning that has apparently riled Stack, who may commit his legions of Union City volunteers to her campaign cause.
Rodriguez currently serves as assemblyperson in the 33rd District with State Sen. Stack and Assemblyman Ruben Ramos. If redistricting changes the map and West New York moves into the 32nd District with Sacco as expected, Rodriguez would ordinarily be expected to run for reelection to the Assembly with Sacco, or on an opposition ticket. This move by Rodriguez to run for mayor appears to have startled the Sacco people, who were apparently willing to let her run for state Assembly on the Sacco ticket.
Sacco, who currently serves with Assembly members Joan Quigley and Vincent Prieto, has apparently asked Stack to let Quigley run for reelection to the Assembly on a Stack-led ticket in a reconstituted 33rd District – something Stack apparently has rejected, forcing Sacco and company to make alternate plans that would include having Quigley run for County Registrar to replace outgoing Willie Flood.
Sacco will likely ask West New York Commissioner Gerald Lange to run in place of Rodriguez for state Assembly in the June Democratic Primary if she goes ahead with her plan to run for mayor.
Meanwhile, an alternative Democratic ticket may be emerging in the 31st District to challenge Senator Cunningham and her Assembly runningmates Charles Mainor and Jason O’Donnell. Bruce Alston, who is running, is rumored to be in talks with Robert Mays and Denis Wilbeck
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County could have primary challenges
Redistricting of county freeholder seats may see some challenges in the primary in Hoboken, Bayonne, and Jersey City. Incumbent Hoboken Freeholder Anthony Romano could see the Jersey City Heights portion of his district stripped away in exchange for a portion of downtown Jersey City.
Meanwhile, Eilu Rivera, freeholder for a portion of downtown Jersey City and a section of the Heights, has yet to positively say whether he is running for reelection or not, prompting some possible challengers in the primary.
Also not yet assured of HCDO support is incumbent Bayonne Freeholder Doreen DiDomenico.
Meanwhile, Council Executive Tom DeGise may go into the Democratic primary unopposed.
Hoboken has already turned ugly
A Democratic civil war in Hoboken, which started when the “reform” leadership cast off long-time committee people last June, has turned ugly in an expected committee battle in the upcoming June elections.
A faction of old guard Democrats calling themselves Real Democrats of Hoboken held a Lincoln Day fundraiser that the leadership of the Hoboken Democratic Organization claimed was an illegal event.
While Real Democrats have filed with the state Election Law Office as a PAC, they have yet to file a quarterly report, and may have to if they raise more than $4,900.
Reform leadership sees this a move to fracture the Democratic organization by having one group of Democrats raise money against another group of Democrats, but Real Democrats maintain that it’s not only perfectly legal, but part of the Democratic process.