State Senator Brian Stack, state Assembly candidate Julio Marenco, and state Assembly candidate Gabriel Rodriguez officially kicked off their bids for office in the 33rd Legislative District last night.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“This is an outstanding legislative team, starting with Crag Guy for county executive, we don’t leave any vote uncounted, we don’t leave any door unknocked: we ring on every doorbell, we vote the ticket from top to bottom, and we’re gonna be victorious come June,” stated Hudson County Democratic Organization Chair Anthony Vainieri.
Vainieri, also the Hudson County Board of Commissioners chair and a candidate for municipal office on North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco’s ticket, led the party in backing Stack’s LD-33 ticket at a press conference last month.
The team of Stack, also the Union City Mayor, Marenco, the outgoing Revenue and Finance Commissioner in North Bergen, and Rodriguez, the outgoing West New York mayor, are unlikely to have any opponents in the June 6th Democratic primary.
Nevertheless, they’ll be on the same ballot as Guy, the chief of staff to retiring Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, who said he was “personally gratified” to be part of this team.
Former Congressman Albio Sires, seeking a fourth term as mayor in West New York, echoed what Stack said about him last month: “We’re gonna be there 1,000 percent.”
Marenco, a Union City native, said it was “a huge honor of mine” to run with Stack, while Rodriguez joked that he was excited to hit doors in Union City for the first time that he had permission.
During his remarks, Stack said it was a “two-pronged election” since they had to help the Sires team get elected in West New York in May, before leading their team to victory in June.
“We can’t leave any stone unturned: we have to knock on every single door. I welcome now North Bergen in the district, West New York in the district, Guttenberg in the district, Secaucus, and of course Weehawken and Union City.”
Sacco, also the outgoing state Senator of the 32nd Legislative District, endorsed Stack for re-election last year after redistricting improbably drew them into the same district.
As part of an unwritten agreement, North Bergen was able to select one of Stack’s running mates, who ended up being Marenco.
Additionally, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, County Commissioner Caridad Rodriguez (D-7), and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-33), the likely state senator of the new LD-32, as well as Sires’ running mates, Commissioner Victor Barrera, Adam Parkinson and Marielka Diaz – both board of education trustees where the former is the president – were among the few hundred who attended the event.
Hoboken should move its municipal elections back to May. They’re kind of left out of the mix now.
The Sopranos didn’t finish its run. It just kept on doing business in Hudson County.