Former Jersey City Ward B Councilman Chris Gadsden has announced that he’ll be on the ballot again this fall, this time seeking a seat at-large.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I decided to give it a shot again because even if the opposition has the money, there’s a need for that authentic, community-minded leadership. People know the body of work I’ve had in the past 27 years or so,” he said in a phone interview.
“Just like the first election I ran, I know the money’s gonna be against me, but I know there are people who want change. The council-at-large needs someone whose more independent thinking and not as connected to the administration. When you’re running with the mayor, you’r coinciding with his narrative. I think we need that balance, there’s divisions in government for a reason and the city needs that in this particular moment.”
Gadsden is no stranger to being on the ballot in Jersey City: coming up short in 2013, when Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal was victorious before eventually winning the seat in a 2016 special election.
Ramchal was forced to resign after a drunk driving incident and Gadsden defeated John Hallanan, who was briefly appointed to the post. However Gadsden, the Lincoln High School principal, lost to current incumbent Mira Prinz-Arey in the December 2017 runoff.
He is the second candidate to announce an independent run at-large, the first being Elvin Dominici, and now seven of the nine council seats are expected to be contested on November 2nd.
Joel Brooks is challenging Prinz-Arey in Ward B, both Kevin Bing and Tom Zuppa are looking to unseat Councilman Rich Boggiano in Ward C, Danielle Freire is seeking to defeat Yousef Saleh in Ward D, Ward E Councilman James Solomon will square off with Chief Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut, and Frank “Educational” Gilmore will take on Councilman Jermaine Robinson in Ward F.
Council President Joyce Watterman and Daniel Rivera are running on Mayor Steven Fulop’s ticket, along with Hudson County Democratic Organization Chair Amy DeGise, at-large.
Between Fulop and the his team’s council accounts, they had about $1.7 million cash on hand last month, with Solomon, Zuppa, and Brooks bringing in the highest totals among independent candidates.
