Omar Elgarhi has conceded to Bayonne Board of Education Trustee Melissa Godesky-Rodriguez in the 2nd Ward City Council race, making a clean sweep all but certain for Mayor-elect Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski’s team.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
” … I ran a grassroots, independent campaign that refused donations from developers and city vendors because I genuinely believed Bayonne deserved leadership focused on transparency, accountability, and a simple idea that became our campaign slogan: Fix the basics, respect the residents,” Elgarhi told HCV this afternoon.
“After a great deal of reflection, I have decided to step away from the possibility of a runoff election. While I am incredibly proud of what we built together, I do not want to force Bayonne into a runoff election that would cost taxpayers additional money or take focus away from the incoming administration during its transition and first 100 days.”
He added that Bayonne voters have spoken and he does not want to get in the way of the important work ahead, congratulating Ashe-Nadrowski, and her team, especially Godesky-Rodriguez, as well as his other opponents in the race: Sal Gullace and Karen Fiermonte.
Godesky-Rodriguez won round 1 by a comfortable margin, 1,337 votes, or about 42.18 percent of the vote, according to tallies from the Hudson County Clerk’s Office.
Since she received less than 50 percent of the vote, a June 9th runoff election looked like it would decided the next 2nd Ward council representative in the Peninsula City, though the runner-up was too close to call for several days.
As it stands now, Elgarhi leads Gullace, a former 2nd Ward councilman who ran on Councilman at-Large Loyad Booker’s slate, by just two votes: 824 to 822.
With Gullace also expressing no interest in a runoff race, Godesky-Rodriguez is poised to be the 2nd Ward councilwoman-elect, succeeding Jackie Weimmer, who did not seek re-election.
“This election was a remarkable journey, and I want to acknowledge all of the candidates who stepped forward to serve. Each of them spent countless hours connecting with residents, sharing their ideas, and demonstrating their commitment to Bayonne. Running for office takes courage, dedication, and a genuine desire to make a difference, and I respect the effort every candidate put into this race,” Godesky-Rodriguez said Tuesday.
“I am incredibly honored, humbled, and grateful for the trust that the residents of Bayonne have placed in me. I also want to thank my husband, my son, and my family, whose unwavering support carried me through every step of this journey, as well as the volunteers, supporters, and residents who stood beside me throughout the campaign.”
Like Elgarhi, she expressed a desire to move forward together with the next administration, her colleagues, residents, community leaders, and any other relevant stakeholders in Bayonne.
Ashe-Nadrowski defeated Booker by just over a 2-to-1 margin, or about 32 points, making her the first woman elected to serve as Bayonne mayor, as HCV first reported.
Her council at-large candidates, Mark Bottino and Mariam Salama, along with 1st Ward council candidate Gene Perry, also won on first ballot.
3rd Ward council candidate Tom Gillen, a retired Hudson County Sheriff’s office detective, just missed avoiding a runoff against Council President Gary La Pelusa, but the four-term elected official also decided he was not going to partake in a runoff race.
Therefore, the Peninsula City will welcome a new mayor and a completely new City Council when they are all sworn in on July 1st.
