Jersey City Ward E council candidate Nick Grillo showed that he has the support of several Hudson County Democratic Organization mainstays, as well as a few people on the outs, during an event at the Dante Alighieri Society last night.
“Nicky stands for what’s most important and that’s family values,” began Hoboken Freeholder/mayoral candidate Anthony Romano (D-5), whose district also includes the Jersey City Heights.
“And Nicky, as we see what he does with the church, and all his other constituents, he’s well-known and liked because he has a good heart and you’re gonna get a true shake with this man if he’s elected.”
Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera followed suit, stating that he has Grillo’s back between now and November 7th.
“From the very beginning, I told you you have to do this and I congratulate you for now keeping your eye on this prize. You’ve surrounded yourself, you’ve wrapped yourself around a spectrum of awesome people,” stated Rivera.
” … I am more than happy to go down the trenches with you, I’ll be there for you, we’ll campaign together and I’ve got your back brother.”
Grillo is in the free for all known as the Ward E council race, where there are already at least six declared candidates in the mix after incumbent Candice Osborne bowed out of the race last month.
During his remarks to about the 50 people in attendance, Grillo said the fact that he was born and raised Downtown is what separates him from the competition.
“We have a great, dynamic team that’s going to win this election: I have no doubt about that,” began Grillo, adding that he has routinely helped residents get in touch with their elected officials so he felt it was time to cut out the middleman.
Originally announced as a councilman-at-large candidate, the funeral home director decided in December to narrow his candidacy down to the Ward E seat due to the personal connections he has there.
“That’s where the people I knew were from, that’s where I knew what was going on in the neighborhood, I knew what it was like 20, 25, 30 years ago which no other candidate down there can say. I’ve been born and raised down there, I know what it’s like.”
Other notable names in attendance included Jersey City Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano, Jersey City Freeholder E. Junior Maldonado (D-4), Jersey City Ward A council candidate Denise Ridley, former Assemblyman Sean Conners, ex-Jersey City Ward B Councilman Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal, former Jersey City Democratic Organization Chair Shawn “Sully” Thomas-Sullivan, political operative Tom Bertoli, among many others.