Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera, who ran on Mayor Steven Fulop’s ticket three times, will seek on fourth term on Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea’s (D-2) council slate, sources familiar with the situation told HCV.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Rivera sent out a media advisory today indicating that he would be making an announcement Friday morning, with the caption “your vote can make a difference.”
Sources, who spoke under the condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak on the matter, said the veteran city official will formally declare he is running with O’Dea, who made his bid for mayor official in mid-November.
For the moment, the longest serving county commissioner has only announced one running mate, lifelong educator Kristen Zadroga-Hart, who Rivera endorsed for state Assembly in 2017.
In addition to serving on Jersey City’s elected governing body, Rivera also works as a truancy officer for the Hudson County Schools of Technology.
Other candidates in the mix for Team O’Dea include former council-at-large candidate Elvin Dominici, Journal Square Community Association President Tom Zuppa, and Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County Executive Director Pamela Johnson.
One of Rivera’s old running mates, Council President Joyce Watterman, is also running for mayor and has announced four of her running mates: former mayoral challenger Lewis Spears, ex-school board candidate Kenny Reyes, Liberty Church JC Pastor Dave Carment, and former Board of Education Trustee Alexander Hamilton, as HCV first reported.
Spears, Reyes, and Carment will run at-large, while Hamilton will seek the downtown council seat in Ward E.
Former Gov. Jim McGreevey and ex-BOE President Mussab Ali have not unveiled any running mates yet for the non-partisan November 4th, 2025 contest, with Fulop running for governor instead of seeking a fourth term.
