HOBOKEN — As of Friday, incumbent three-term Councilman Michael Russo was still running unopposed for the 3rd Ward in the Hoboken City Council race in November. According to the Hoboken City Clerk’s office, no additional residents took petitions to run for City Council last week.
Two presumptive candidates did officially throw their hats in the ring. Former State Assemblyman Ruben Ramos will run for the 4th Ward, and Hoboken Zoning Board Commissioner Tiffanie Fisher will run for the 2nd Ward.
This past Wednesday, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer and City Council President Ravi Bhalla held a $300-a-head fundraiser for the candidates they are backing in the upcoming council election—Zoning Board Commissioner Michael DeFusco in the 1st Ward; Hoboken Housing Authority Board Chairwoman Dana Wefer in the 2nd Ward; and incumbent 5th Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham and 6th Ward Councilwoman Jen Giattino. She is also said to be allied with Fisher.
The swift organization of a “Team Zimmer” slate makes the lack of a challenger to Russo intriguing. Four years ago, in 2011, Zimmer strongly criticized Russo after it was revealed that he met with FBI informant Solomon Dwek, calling for him to be censured and removed from his position on the Hoboken Housing Authority board.
Asked her feelings about no one running against Russo, Zimmer said Thursday that there is still time for a challenger to show up.
“Since the petitions are not due until the 31st it would be premature to comment on who may or may not be running in any ward,” she wrote in an email. “Neither you or I know with any degree of certainty who will be running and Hoboken has a history of last-minute surprises.”
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