U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11), the Democratic nominee for governor, made a campaign stop in Union City on the evening before Election Day as state Senator (D-33)/Union City Mayor Brian Stack pushes for massive voter turnout from his constituents.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
A stage with elaborate lights, sound system, and a video screen was erected a stones throw away from Union City First, a Stack campaign office located near the intersection of 38th Street and Palisade Avenue.
While the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) backed Sherrill in the June 10th primary, Stack did not appear fully engaged in the general election that pits Sherrill against former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli until North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco supported the Republican nominee.
“Every vote has consequences, so you want Mikie and you want all of Columna A and you’re gonna get to vote and you’re gonna get all your friends and neighbor out to vote: We don’t want any backsliding,” Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said to an almost exclusively Latino crowd of hundreds of people.
For that reason, several dignitaries gave their remarks exclusively in Spanish, including West New York Mayor Albio Sires, as well as Democratic nominees for state Assembly in the 33rd Legislative District: Larry Wainstein and Assemblyman Gabriel Rodriguez.
“Your vote counts, your voice has to count. Tomorrow’s an important day to get her across the finish line and put our first female Democratic governor in office, right? Friends, family, and even you foes, tell ’em to get out tomorrow and vote Column A, thank you,” added Guttenberg Mayor Wayne Zitt.
After state Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32) reiterated that Sherrill would be a check to President Donald Trump (R), who is backing Ciattarelli, by supporting immigrant communities and backing women’s rights.
He also said that voters in North Hudson need to turnout as if Stack is on the ballot, calling back to when Stack told his supporters voting for Sherrill is more important than voting for him last month, before U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) gave a fiery bi-lingual speech.
“My name is Rob Menendez and I am a son of Union City! … Brian is a fighter for all of Union City! Brian is a fighter for Hudson County and Brian is a fighter for all of us! Mikie is a fighter for all of New Jersey!” Menendez said in Spanish to great adulation and applause.
“Are you ready to win this election? Are you ready to fight with Brian Stack? Then let’s elect Mikie the next governor of New Jersey!” he exclaimed in English.
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, the Democratic nominee for Hudson County sheriff, and New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chair LeRoy Jones also expressed their enthusiasm for Sherrill before Stack rallied his troops.
“We worked hard throughout this campaign, it feels like this campaign has lasted a whole year, but our work will be worth it. We just have to remember tomorrow that we gotta deliver every single vote: Our family, our friends, our neighbors – everyone,” he began.
” … Remember tomorrow: We don’t worry about the early vote, we don’t worry about vote-by-mail, right Craig, we start with zero tomorrow. So we need to pull out everyone that we have identified to vote for Mikie and everybody on Column A!”
HCDO Chair Craig Guy, also the county executive, said this race, the most important in recent memory, is in the people’s hands and he’s comfortable with that since Sherrill always puts people over politics.
When addressing the crowd, Sherrill gave some remarks in Spanish, saying that both Stack has been a superior mayor and she respects the fighting spirit of Union City residents, before giving a short stump speech in English.
“I look out at all of you and I see what I want the future to look like. I see people who are here fighting hard for families, for opportunities, I see people who are building something. And I see a lot of kids here and I know your parents are here because they’re fighting for you too,” she stated.
“And I’m joining that fight and I want to have your back. And I want you to know one last thing: If there is something keeping you up at night, if there’s something really upsetting you, I want you to know I’m staying up at night as your governor thinking about it too and working with people like Brian Stack so we can really deliver opportunity for people across this state.”
Sacco is among roughly a dozen Democratic officials who endorsed Ciattarelli, crossing across the aisle for the first time in his 40-year political career.
Stack endorsed Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election bid in 2013, but that marks the only time he didn’t support the Democratic candidate in nearly 30 years.
Another chapter will conclude in the nearly two-decade feud between the swashbuckling North Hudson power brokers tomorrow when New Jerseyans elect either Sherrill or Ciattarelli in a race that many pundits have called too close to call.
