Former state Assemblyman Jamel Holley is endorsing Pat Devaney for Bayonne’s 3rd Ward council seat in a crowded field, calling him “a proven leader, successful coach, small business owner, and dedicated community advocate.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“It is not often that you stand in the middle of the New Jersey State House complex in our state capital, 60 miles from your home in Bayonne, simply so that parents’ voices can be heard on behalf of their children and their community,” Holley said in a letter being distributed by Devaney’s campaign.
“I saw that commitment in Pat. It is not often that you can call a coach and witness a young athlete hungry for an opportunity to showcase their abilities, only to see others turn their backs. Yet I saw Pat extend his arm to bridge that gap and turn that opportunity into a reality. Pat is the real deal.”
The head women’s basketball coach at New Jersey City University (NJCU) since 2018, Devaney is in a four-way dance in the 3rd Ward council race in the non-partisan May 12th Bayonne municipal elections.
He is looking to unseat Council President Gary La Pelusa, who is running on Councilman at-Large Loyad Booker’s mayoral slate, as are retired Hudson County Sheriff’s Office Det. Tommy Gillen, a part of Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski’s slate, and John Milan Sebik.
Milan Sebik is running as an independent candidate, as is Devaney.
“He is true grassroots, people powered candidate who stands outside the career politician machine. As a proven leader, successful coach, small business owner, and dedicated community advocate, Patrick Devaney brings exactly the kind of real-world experience Bayonne desperately needs right now,” Holley added.
“I have seen Patrick’s character, relentless work ethic, and leadership up close. He took one of the toughest situations in college basketball and turned it around, building a program, leading young athletes, and winning when others had given up. That same determination, integrity, and ability to get results is what he will bring to Bayonne.”
He noted that amounts to real accountability and full transparency, along with other significant municipal improvements in the 3rd Ward.
Holley served three terms in the state Assembly representing the Union County-based 20th Legislative District, which does not include Bayonne or anywhere else in Hudson County.
He was appointed in 2015, before being elected to a full term later that year, then won re-election in 2017 and 2019.
In 2021, he lost decisively when he tried to primary state Senator Joe Cryan (D-21) – who he had replaced in the Assembly – and subsequently narrowly lost to Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw in 2023.
