Jersey City mayoral candidate L. Harvey Smith held a rally Thursday at St. John’s Baptist Church in Jersey City. About 150 people were in attendance for the event.
For Smith, it was about courting the church vote as his mayoral opponents in the May 12 election are using other venues to get their message across.
Smith appeared at the church to speak and also introduce his council slate. He also included a fundraising aspect to the event, with time set aside for people to put money in straw baskets, a version of the old standard of “passing the plate.” Smith said his team have been visiting at least two to churches every weekend since the beginning of this year.
Running with Smith are Frances Thompson in Ward A, Paul Catsandonis in Ward B, Rev. John Muniz in Ward D, Jamie Vazquez in Ward E, Calvin Hart in Ward F, and Ronnie Greco, Noemi Velazquez and Frank Scalcione for citywide at-large seats. He is still uncertain on Ward C but has a candidate in mind.
Smith, 60, is well-known for serving in the City Council from 1993-2005. He is also known for serving for20six months as interim mayor after Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham died in office in May 2004. Smith went on to lose in the special mayoral election in Nov. 2004 to fill the remainder of Cunningham’s term, with Jerramiah Healy winning.
Currently, Smith is one of the two State Assemblyman representing the 31st District and had been the Hudson County undersheriff, but is resigning that post effective this coming Friday, March 6.
Smith told the Jersey City Reporter that he is certified by the City Clerk’s office to be on the ballot of the May 12 election along with
two other candidates on his slate. Smith also said he and his candidates are running a “grassroots campaign.”
“We don’t have money to put campaign ads in the newspapers,” Smith said. “So we have been out there everyday like the mailman, in the rain and snow, knocking on doors and meeting people.” – Ricardo Kaulessar