Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo raised $115,581 in the third quarter of 2025 and has $297,800.19 cash on hand, his most recent campaign finance reports reveal.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Russo raised $14,150, spent $111,688.22, and has $57,558.41 cash on hand in his individual account, according to his October 6th report filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC).
Basile’s Pizza owner Russell Basile donated $2,500, as did the Green Rock Tap & Grill and Texas Arizona, while Hoboken’s Cassesa Management Inc. contributed $2,000, the report says.
As for expenses, Russo paid Philadelphia-based Katz Consulting $13,267 for political consulting, with Belle Meade’s Sean Duggan receiving $5,000 for political consulting, and Scotch Plans-based The Social Status compensated $6,000 for mixed media.
Additionally, Carlstadt’s Bravo Print & Mail $31,238.90 for printing and postage for direct mail.
The Social Status also received another $3,000 out of Russo’s council account, where he did not raise any money in Q3, but spent $20,236.52 and still has $169,708.38 cash on hand, his October 15th ELEC report details.
As for Russo’s four city council candidates, Nicole Magaña, Pete Keeling, and Dean Murray at-large and Ryan Cunningham in the 6th Ward, they raised $101,431, spent $30,897.60, and have $70,533.40 cash on hand, based on their October 6th ELEC report.
Russo’s gave $69,000 from his mayoral account, Fairview Insurance, a city vendor, donated $22,000, while Power Analytics Global Corporation Executive Chairman Keith Barksdale donated $1,000, as did the District 10 International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
As a team, they spent an additional $25,784.37 on printing and postage for direct mail from Bravo Print & Mail.
The 3rd Ward councilman is the top fundraiser with the most cash on hand in the Mile Square City’s non-partisan November 4th mayoral race, followed by Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, as only HCV has reported.
With that much cash in his pocket maybe he will actually pay his “Election Day workers” (wink wink)
Buying votes would be illegal.
How dare you imply such a thing. Mike is the kindest, warmest, grifter I’ve ever known.
Saw the Horse fellow pointing to the glorious details of Mike’s glorious “campaign workers” paid thousands in 2015. Not the kind of reminder Russo appreciates.
https://hobokenelection.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-empire-strikes-back.html
The people who link to “the horse fellow” are all the horse fellow.