It looked as though Union City’s Revenue and Finance Commissioner Ralph Fraguela was going to slide into the Democratic seat to represent the 33rd District in the New Jersey Assembly when the original filing deadline of April 17 came and went without a word from current Democratic Assemblyman Raul “Rudy” Garcia.
However, with the deadline for filing pushed back to May 10 due to statewide redistricting, Garcia said that he might still file. The state wanted to allow the candidates enough time to address the new areas in the districts, which have been altered due to figures from the 2000 Census.
The 33rd District, which includes West New York, Union City, Weehawken, Guttenberg, Hoboken and part of Jersey City, was made slightly larger to include part of the Jersey City riverfront. The new districts were adopted on April 11, just six days before the original filing date.
The primary election for state Assembly will be held in June, and the regular election will be held in November. Garcia, who has served the 33rd District in the State Assembly for the past eight years, said that he still has not decided if he will run for a fifth term.
After Garcia resigned from his position as mayor of Union City in October instead of facing a recall election, some believed that his political career was over. Since then, the Office of the Attorney General has investigated the Union City Democratic Organization for the time that Garcia spent as chairman, and he is facing a sexual harassment suit brought by one of his former aides. He also experienced budget problems while serving as mayor.
However, Garcia said that he has been getting many offers to run against the local Democratic party that is backing Fraguela for his seat on the Assembly.
“Right now I am weighing my options,” said Garcia, who has also had offers to run as a Republican for the Assembly or as a Democrat for the Senate position. “I want to do what is best for my family and myself.
While in office, Garcia fought for school funding in urban areas. “I have done a good job representing the 33rd District,” he said. “I am really gratified by the outpouring of people calling me and asking me to run.”
Garcia may also run as an independent candidate.
Fraguela announced his plans to represent Union City in Trenton in June at the first meeting of Union City First, the political organization started by current Union City Mayor Brian Stack after he shut down the Union City Democratic Organization last year.
“We love our city,” said Fraguela, after announcing his plans. “We want to rebuild our city and want to bring a positive change to our city.”
Running unopposed for a Democratic seat on the Assembly representing the 33rd District is West New York Mayor Albio Sires. Sires is currently finishing his first term in Trenton and looking to begin his second.
Sires, a member of the state’s budget committee, secured $275,000 for improvements in Hudson County last year. Sires has also been a major supporter of gun control and preserving open space, especially near the piers in Hoboken, Weehawken, West New York and Guttenberg.