Ajmani drops out of Bhalla’s Hoboken council slate after 3 days, Doyle will seek re-election

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Three days after Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced his three-person council-at-large slate for the November 2nd municipal elections, Dini Ajmani has dropped out of race and will be replaced by Councilman Jim Doyle.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Councilman Jim Doyle comes to every issue facing the City Council prepared, well-informed and ready to offer pragmatic solutions that move Hoboken forward,” Bhalla said in a statement this afternoon.

“I am so pleased that Jim is making the sacrifice of postponing some of the family time he was looking forward to and so richly deserved, once again putting Hoboken first.”

On Wednesday, Doyle had endorsed the team of Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, Joe Quintero, and Ajmani, as HCV first reported, but will now seek a third term after all.

The Bhalla campaign said that Ajmani was bowing out “because of personal reasons that just emerged” and did not provide any further information, though sources with knowledge of the situation said she is pursuing a new professional opportunity.

She currently works as the assistant treasurer for the State of New Jersey.

The Bhalla team is expected to face at least one full slate challenge, with Cheryl Fallick, Sheila Brenna, and Paul Presinzano expected to enter the race while the mayor currently has no declared opponents ahead of the August 30th filing deadline.

Pat Waiters has also picked up petitions for nomination to run for council-at-large and is already on the ballot for the board of education race.

2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher said the move shows Bhalla is feeling the pressure with an opposition slate formed.

“Not surprised Mayor Bhalla changed course now that his council slate may face opposition from independent candidates. But I am surprised Jim Doyle agreed to step back in given I had heard he was unhappy on the city council for a while and did not want to campaign again.”

The non-partisan Hoboken municipal elections are on November 2nd.


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43 COMMENTS

  1. Why wouldn’t they run with Falco?
    Word is jabbour refused to run with Vanessa claiming her “base” won’t support Vanessa…
    Code words… Guess what Emmy… You are your base. YOU have the issue with Vanessa- why not just say what many people of color know what you mean by that.

    • Well let’s not forget Councilwoman Jabbour “isn’t a politician, she’s a mom.” And wondering what she’s actually done for Hoboken in her 4 years?

    • Why is easy. Ms Falco has secured herself a full time City job that pays $88K plus benefits, paid vacation and pension with no need to run for elected office.

  2. I’d take the “explanation” given by Bhalla with a grain of salt – remember when “sources” said Zimmer was pulling out because she was going to be Lieutenant Governor? More likely she doesn’t want to deal with the Mean Girls. Who would? Kudos to Jim for stepping up. A true Hoboken Patriot!

  3. Instead of cajoling Jim Doyle to stick around for the anti-Reform Ravi destruction train, Ravi Bhalla could have added a black or Hispanic to the ticket. He’d rather discriminate against them pushing anti-science mandates because they are not eager to sign up for the failing vaccine.

    Today, we also learned that Rev. Jesse Jackson who took the jabs is hospitalized. Then there’s the truth escaping despite the propaganda, “there’s growing concern that vaccinated people may be more vulnerable to serious illness than previously thought,” as reported in the US and seen in Israel.

    Why didn’t Ravi show some respect for blacks and Hispanics instead of recycling Jim Doyle who clearly had enough of him like Ajmani?

    • What a lunatic working that anti-vax comment in your other nonsense.

      I can’t imagine someone who watched Beth Mason’s Narcissistic Personality Disorder on full display for years, and then sees Donald Trump and says “Yeah sign me up”. You learned absolutely nothing from supposedly standing against Mason

    • Let’s talk about Councilwoman Fisher’s discrimination. She put out a call for independent candidates and never once did she consider Pat Waiters. In fact, the entire independent slate is white people. How many times do we need to point out her blatant racism?

      • He’s the white privilege version. Bromar doesn’t like it. Why not Patty? She went out to the HHA and gave out turkeys with Allen? What does she get? Nothing.

        • But he’s nothing but a troll and 2-bit liar now. Here’s what he really thinks of her and what he would really think of her being on the ticket. Exact words: anti-semitic ranter. He just wants to stir up racial tension.

          https://hobokenhorse.com/ravi-bhalla-set-to-give-senior-role-to/

          By the way the article was just another lie, chock-full of made-up quotes. She was never appointed to a senior role. It’s been a very long time since roman cared about the truth.

        • Well, PattyStiffedAgain’s comment is racism at its worst. Who are you to judge if Candidate Quintero is “Hispanic enough” by classifying him as a “white privilege version”? Disgusting.

          Again, you’re only criticizing one team for not choosing Pat Waiters? What about Councilwoman Fisher and now Councilman DeFusco (for those that read that ridiculously self-serving statement he put out today) supporting their slate of “independent voices.” Pat is only of value to DeFusco for the photo ops and when she’ll rant and rave at City Council meetings on his behalf. Whether she is white, black or orange, Pat Waiters is not fit to serve on City Council. She doesn’t have any relevant experience, she’s not collaborative and often comes across quite unhinged. I appreciate that she gives voice to her neighbors but that isn’t a qualifying characteristic for elected office. It has nothing to do with the color of her skin, so stop trying to make it about race.

  4. Ajmani got a 3-day taste of what she signed up for and realized she needs to get away from these people, and being connected to them is a terrible career move.

      • The Hatch Act doesn’t apply to non partisan positions like Hoboken City Council. That’s why Jim Doyle can serve while being an EPA lawyer.

        I have no idea why Ms. Ajmani changed her mind about running and it’s really nobody’s business but her own I tend to be skeptical of explanations given unofficially on background, but the bottom line is that Hoboken will benefit enormously from by 4 more years of service from Councilman Doyle.

        • It makes perfect sense that Ms Ajmani decided not to run because she anticipated starting a new federal job. All I said was that it wouldn’t be because of the Hatch Act so the poster was mistaken about that pretty unimportant detail, and that it Ms. Ajmani’s reasons for changing her mind aren’t really anybody’s business – if she’s not a candidate she’s a private citizen entitled to privacy.

  5. The comments here are truly disturbing. A friend told me to take a look at the insanity which is being thrown about here and I could not believe his description of the absurdities which are being spewed. Unfortunately, his description did not do the inanity justice. Seriously, what adults with a brain spread this kind of disinformation. If any of you have children, that is even more disturbing. I need a mask and a booster shot just to read this crap.

    • the anti-vax insanity and calling everyone a fascist, nazi, communist (not knowing how diametrically opposed those are) … is all one brain-dead far right moron.

      • https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201910/youre-really-not-smart-the-dunning-kruger-effect

        I understand why are trying to illuminate this rambling buffoon, but he is a classic Dunning-Kruger case, thus unreachable. Unless you all enjoy poking it, best to ignore.

        “In the Dunning-Kruger effect, the less someone knows about a topic, the more they are likely to have strong opinions about that topic. This means that if you are arguing a point with someone that has beliefs that are not rooted in facts, that person will stick to their opinion even when presented with evidence to the contrary. That person will also disregard expert opinions. The person may tell you that the expert opinion is “fake,” the expert was “paid off” to give that opinion, or he or she may just talk over you so that you can’t get your facts heard. Since you can’t prove that something didn’t happen, you walk away frustrated, while the other person is more entrenched in his or her beliefs.”

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