In his attempt to be elected governor, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim McGreevey barnstormed his way through several communities in northern Hudson County last Sunday, aided by some of the most influential Democrats in the area.
With Rep. Robert Menendez (D-Union City), State Senator Nicholas Sacco and State Assemblyman Albio Sires, who are also, respectively, the mayors of North Bergen and West New York, McGreevey made efforts to secure support in Hudson County.
It was an area McGreevey, the mayor of Woodbridge in Middlesex County, failed to gain full support of when he lost to former Gov. Christie Whitman four years ago.
Although recent polls have showed McGreevey holding a solid lead over Republican candidate Bret Schundler, who spent two terms as the mayor of Jersey City, McGreevey wanted to make sure that he had a hold over the county.
“I’m the descendant from three generations of Jersey City police officers,” McGreevey said. “I am a part of Hudson County.”
McGreevey, who was born and raised in the Bergen-Lafayette section of Jersey City, made his way through the area as part of his “Jersey Journey,” in which the candidate will travel through the entire state by foot, bicycle or canoe over the next month. McGreevey plans to go from High Point, in Sussex County, the state’s most northern point, to Cape May in the far south.
McGreevey spent the day Sunday walking up and down Bergenline Avenue, stopping in stores and restaurants, and greeting prospective voters. He posed for hundreds of pictures, signed autographs and flashed his famous smile.
It was an old-time campaign event, reminiscent of the 1920s and ’30s, the way politicians used to campaign before the advent of the mass media.
McGreevey also wasted little time hitting the campaign trail some five months before the November election, trying to surpass the momentum that Schundler might have gained with his impressive Republican primary victory over Rep. Bob Franks three weeks ago.
“This is the way he’s been campaigning, since he first sought office many years ago,” Sacco said. “He never takes a rest. He’s a tireless campaigner and is always at a high pace. I think he realized that it was very important for him to get a handle inside of Hudson County and a lot of people got to hear his message with this visit.” McGreevey explained the reasons for his journey throughout the state.
“I have spent the past six months travelling from one end of the state to another,” he said. “Throughout the campaign, I have used these town meetings as listening and learning sessions, both for myself and for New Jersey residents. I know that people all across the state are frustrated and disappointed with the current administration. The leadership in Trenton has become far removed from everyday life and the worries and needs of everyday New Jerseyans. I believe that the best sources for common-sense government are our local communities.”
McGreevey began his trip from High Point State Park July 1. Since then, he has spent time canoeing the Delaware River while biking and walking through local neighborhoods and business communities.
Will keep on going
McGreevey, who also visited Hoboken and Jersey City on Monday, will make visits to schools, parks and natural resources, health care centers, senior citizen centers and college campuses before arriving in Cape May.
“During this walk, I will go back to the people of New Jersey, into their communities, where they live, work and raise families,” McGreevey said. “I want to report back to them what I learned from their neighbors and talk to them about ways that I can begin to change the way we do business in Trenton and take back the government for the people of New Jersey.”
Some local residents are already committed to McGreevey, like Mario Blanch of North Bergen, who has been mentioned in campaign literature as a McGreevey supporter.
“Come November, there is only one person I will vote for and that’s Jim McGreevey,” Blanch said. “He understands the plight of the middle class. There is no way that anyone in the middle class can afford to pay the auto insurance rates that carriers are charging New Jersey citizens. For years, the Republicans tried to put a Band-Aid on the insurance problem.”
McGreevey said he was confident he would have “unconditional” support from Hudson County.
“I expect to win Hudson County by more than 40,000 votes,” McGreevey said.