State Senator (D-32)/North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco went all in on Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s potential 2025 bid for governor at his annual mayor’s ball last night, exclaiming that “North Bergen and Hudson County have made him our favored son.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Steve Fulop is running for governor. We in North Bergen and Hudson County have made him our favored son and we’re moving forward with our plans to see a governor again from Hudson County – something we haven’t seen,” Sacco said at the podium.
“He may not want me to be saying this, but we’re ready to go for him: completely and totally. Fulop for governor.”
Fulop, who backed Sacco’s re-election bid in May a few minutes prior, thanked Sacco and asked the over 2,000 on hand “who’s better than Nick Sacco?” to applause.
While Sacco’s remarks were impromptu, his sentiment is not completely unexpected.
The Hudson County Democratic Organization was fully behind an anticipated gubernatorial for Fulop in 2017, where he decided to seek re-election and endorse eventual winner Phil Murphy instead.
More recently, current HCDO Chair Anthony Vainieri, also the county board of commissioners chair, has already given a full-throated Fulop for governor endorsement on at least two occasions this summer: once when he became party chair in June and again at the HCDO barbecue in July.
Vainieri kicked off the program of the event, with Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari – who is on the November 8th ballot – and 8th District Democratic congressional nominee Rob Menendez also backing Sacco for another term as mayor,
In an interview with NJ Spotlight News last month, Fulop acknowledged that he was seriously considering a run for governor in 2025, though he has stopped short of announcing his candidacy thus far.
With Murphy term limited from running again, other early Democratic candidates include former Senate President Steve Sweeney, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
And having his wife get the green light to open a very lucrative pot shop on 14th Street Hoboken will him an even bigger stash of cash.
What’s the rush? It’s 3 years until the next election.
Apparently the new model is to create a sense of inevitability while others are deciding whether to run – Murphy spent a small fortune in 15-16 and Fulop and Sweeney never recovered. Mikie Sherrill could be a tough out- a great resume and none of the baggage that comes with being a big city mayor.
Great A Governor who had a sidekick indicted, owns a weed shop and over develops his city!
Great to see the Indicted Guilty IRS cheat supports Fulop!
He has always been my favorite customer- pays upfront