Russo declares for mayor: ‘I honestly think I’m the best suited to run’ Hoboken

Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo has formally launched his bid for mayor after months of speculation, stating in an interview “I honestly think I’m best suited to run this city.”

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Russo has been in the conversation for the non-partisan November 4th contest ever since he was re-elected with ease in 2023, showcasing a strong fundraising prowess ever since.

With Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour and former U.S. Treasury official Dini Ajmani already declared, Russo is the third candidate to join the race.

“I honestly think I’m best suited to run this city, I also think I’m the best advocate for the residents in this city. I’ve been in government now for 20-plus years, I’ve enacted a ton of laws in the city of Hoboken, and I’ve watched all those laws not be enforced over years,” he told HCV at his office at 720 Monroe St.

“So, to me, it’s one of those things where you have to either step up or step out and now I’m stepping up.”

First elected in 2003, Russo is now in his sixth term and is proud to have never run with the backing of any incumbent mayor, something that he believes separates him from the competition.

“I was always an independent voice, I will continue to be an independent voice, I don’t need the mayor to dictate what goes on. I’m in a unique position right now,” he explained.

“You potentially have two candidates right now that are announced who are pretty much aligned with what the mayor has done over the course of his term, or his two terms I should say, and then you have two potential other candidates who will just disagree with everything and anything because the mayor suggested it: That’s not the way I operate.”

If elected, he wouldn’t be the first Russo to lead the Mile Square City: His father, Anthony Russo, served two terms as mayor between 1993 and 2001.

His legacy is often looked upon fondly, being credited with revitalizing the waterfront while still being fiscally responsible. However, he also pleaded guilty in 2004 to accepting bribes from an accounting firm in exchange for municipal contracts.

According to Councilman Russo, who first won his seat after his dad vacated it due to a cancer diagnosis that eventually claimed his life in August 2021, he thought his dad served the city well, but a lot has changed in the past three decades.

“He did a great job serving this city, he ran into some issues, and we move on from that, right? My dad is dead and buried now for four years, the things that happened over the course of his term was a quarter of a century ago,” he recalled.

“I’ve been serving this city with honor for a long time and I will continue to do that. As far as the things I want to achieve, I think that the times are very different, right? Things that happened 30 years are very different than the things that need to happen now.”

With that said, Russo said he would take his father’s “decisive leadership” style in City Hall, claiming that many of his colleagues are “paralyzed by indecision,” which he feels has been on display at a number of council meetings.

One example that he believes separates him from his colleagues is consistently voting down budgets that come with tax increases, noting that he believes that is his duty as an elected official.

“You see this massive affordability issue across the nation, right? We, as the locally elected officials, we can’t control the price of eggs. However, we can make sure that you’re not paying extra taxes so that you can afford your eggs,” he explained.

“And those are the kind of things I’ve been kind of warning by council colleagues and the city for years … You have to have the foresight to understand what that’s gonna turn into, and of course, that’s what this is turning into right now.”

He also noted that if elected, his top priorities will be public safety and affordable housing, two topics who has already outlined in white papers.

“My colleagues on the council and those that are already declaring for mayor, they’re not talking about the big issues,” Russo stated.

“I talk about very specific policy plans, I put those out, and then I have Town Halls to make sure that people understand what my position is and how that position needs to shift so that we can accomodate all the residents in our city. I think that’s really important to do and I don’t see anyone doing that.”

Russo also vowed that he has no aspirations for higher office, noting that going to Washington, D.C. to serve does not interest him in the slightest.

Furthermore, for any voters who are of the mindset that one Mayor Russo is enough in Hoboken for one lifetime, the councilman said he’s happy to try to convince them otherwise.

“Come meet with me, come sit down and meet with me, I’m not shy about trying to earn your support,” he began.

“When I walk into a room and I speak to somebody, I think nine times out of 10, they’ll listen, they’ll understand what my position is, they’ll understand how and why I lead the way that I do and I think that’s really important … I don’t lead by sound bites, I don’t lead by social media.”

In a statement released this afternoon, Russo provided additional context on why he’s throwing his hat into the ring.

“Hoboken is the place I was born and raised: with my friends and family, in our restaurants and parks, and at my church. I’ve gotten to know thousands of my neighbors and have had the privilege of serving them on the City Council,” he said.

“The Mile Square City that I know and love is in the faces of our parents and children, in the bustle of our streets, in our nightlife, and on our sports fields. But it’s also in City Hall—and that’s why I’m running to be your next mayor.”