With the Hudson County Democratic Organization emerging victorious in two key battles up north two weeks ago, leaders of the party made it clear that they are looking forward to peace time during last night’s annual spring gala at the Harborside Atrium in Jersey City.
“The bible tells us that there is a time and place for everything under the sun. A time of love, a time of hate. A time of war and a time of peace. Last year was our year of war,” stated County Executive Tom DeGise, who would likely be facing a difficult primary challenge this year if his daughter Amy was not elected HCDO chair in June.
“This year we’d like to declare peace throughout Hudson County so that we can work together and accomplish the things that need to be accomplished in the coming years ahead.”
Tom DeGise is on the ballot for this year’s June 4th primary election and is a heavy favorite to defeat Pat Waiters, a Hoboken resident who has unsuccessfully sought office over a dozen times on the municipal and county level.
During her speech, Amy DeGise referred to the HCDO “as a force to be reckoned with” and a “dangerous voting block” that is able to get millennials out to the polls.
“I am confident that the HCDO will be the model of the new Democratic party platform,” she added.
New Jersey Democratic Party Chair John Currie was also in attendance, reiterating the importance of getting Tom DeGise re-elected to continue the progress happening throughout the state.
“Together we’re gonna work to make Hudson County and the State of New Jersey a stronger and fairer place to raise your families,” Currie stated.
Riding high off of big wins in North Bergen and West New York, where Mayor Nick Sacco was elected to his eighth term and Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez unseated Felix Roque, respectively, the HCDO was an uncharacteristically slow primary next week.
Sheriff Frank Schillari and surrogate candidate Tilo Rivas, the current Union City freeholder, are running unopposed, as are East Newark Council-at-Large members Charles Tighe and Jessica Diaz.
Additionally, East Newark Mayor Joe Smith is facing his first challenger in 16 years in Dina Grilo, a volunteer firefighter, while three of the four Harrison council candidates running on the HCDO line are running unopposed.
Only Maria Camano is dealing with a contested race in the 1st Ward, in a head-to-head race with Marlene Dalila Moura Perfeito.
Furthermore, the only contested Assembly race is in the 32nd Legislative District, where incumbents Angelica Jimenez and Pedro Mejia take on heavy underdogs Mahmoud Mahmoud and Roger Quesada.
Dignitaries in attendance last night included Sacco, Smith, and Rodriguez, state Senator Sandra Cunningham, Assembly members Angela McKnight, Nick Chiravalloti (all D-31), Jimenez and Mejia, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, Harrison Mayor James Fife, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Kearny Mayor Alberto Santos, Hoboken Councilwomen Tiffanie Fisher and Jen Giattino, Jersey City Council members Denise Ridley, Mira Prinz-Arey, James Solomon and Rolando Lavarro, North Bergen Commissioner Julio Marenco, Freeholders Kenny Kopacz (D-1), Bill O’Dea (D-2), Jerry Walker (D-4), Anthony Vainieri (D-5) and Anthony Romano (D-8), among many, many others.
