The three recent Hoboken city council at-large candidates who ran on 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos’ ticket are all backing 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo for mayor.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Leadership should be rooted in transparency, responsiveness, and a real commitment to the basics, the everyday things that make Hoboken livable for families; that’s why I’m supporting Michael Russo for Mayor in the December 2nd runoff,” Britta Ouano said in a statement.
“As a 3rd Ward resident, Michael is my council representative, and I’ve seen firsthand how he shows up: he listens, he follows through, and he treats constituent concerns like they matter … because they do. That’s the kind of practical, common-sense leadership I advocated for throughout my campaign, and it’s what Hoboken needs.”
She is joined by Laura Miani and Alfredo Veloce in backing Russo today, which is not particularly surprising given that Ramos, who finished in fourth place in the mayoral race threw his support behind Russo earlier this month, as HCV first reported.
“Dr. Michael Russo has been my 3rd Ward council person for the majority of my life. I see the improvements that were made under his leadership and with his advocacy. More so than just a strong voice for our ward, Michael is an excellent listener and is always engaging with the people, supporting programs, and taking feedback,” added Veloce.
“I am confident he can continue to be a great leader and deliver results for the people of Hoboken! Throughout my campaign, I had the opportunity to get to know Michael even better and had nothing but positive interactions with him. That is the type of person that he is, one that will collaborate and encourage others even if they are on ‘the other side’ …”
Two out of Russo’s three at-large hopefuls advanced to the non-partisan December 2nd runoff, Nicole Magaña and Pete Keeling. They are joined by Liz Urtecho, who ran on 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher’s slate, who has since endorsed Russo.
“I met Michael very early in this campaign, and I think we speak to the same issues,” said Laura Miani. “I know he has family here—that’s very important to him—and he’s in it for the right reasons as well. He says what’s on his mind, that’s for sure, and he’s a person you can sit down for coffee with and talk to,” noted Miani.
“Local politics matter…so you need someone who’s invested in the town, who understands what kind of relationships need to be built, who knows all the police, all the fire, all of the people in town. Hoboken is in many ways a small space, but there’s a lot of people here—so that takes a lot to be able to work with all the different people in Hoboken. I think that’s really important. That’s why I stand with Michael Russo for Mayor.”
Russo is facing off with Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, who was the top vote getter earlier this month, as was her team of Councilman-at-Large Joe Quintero, Caitlin Lawson, and Zoning Board Chair Steve Firestone.
They also have Beth 2.0 and the neutered nag. Can’t lose!