Anthony Chiappone

Acting Police Director Mark Smith makes his announcement today in Bayonne County Park 

BAYONNE - Good feeling in Bayonne County Park for a vibrant native son who wants to be mayor, belied the fact that they’re gearing up for political war here in this fiscally troubled city.

A hero cop who followed his father into police work and served 25 years on the force, acting Police Director Mark Smith announced his candidacy today, surrounded by family and Hudson County Democratic Organization diehards.

Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone 

BAYONNE - In his concession speech on Tuesday night, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews acknowledged a lot of his supporters, among them his North Jersey backers and among those, Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Bayonne).

"This was very kind of him," Chiappone said. "I appreciated that. This is a guy who called me the day after Election Day and personally thanked me."

BAYONNE - U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) arrives in Bayonne.

State Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson), U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1), and Jackie Andrews. 

BAYONNE - When U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews gets out of his car in front of the Catholic War Veterans Post 1612 on 23rd Street, his allies greet his appearance with an enthusiasm that runs into a wall of Lautenberg motley across the street.

The two sides have been trading scattered verbal chest thumps for about a half an hour, with the level of public discourse never rising above the likes of, "Who’s washed up? Lautenberg. Who’s washed up? Lautenberg," versus "Who’s going to lose? Andrews. Who’s going to lose? Andrews!"

Now that U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s (D-NJ) challenger in Tuesday’s Democratic Senate Primary lands on the scene, the smaller Andrews camp tries unsuccessfully to drown out a renewed frenzy of put-downs coming from the other side.

BAYONNE - Speaking to a crowd of about 60 Bayonne residents at the Catholic War Veterans Post on 23rd Street Saturday, state Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson) explained why she's supporting Andrews for U.S. Senate.

Moments later, Andrews recognized his daughter, Jackie, and told the crowd he had brought her along in part to meet women of courage like Cunningham. 

Hudson County is deep Frank Lautenberg territory, but Democratic Senate candidate Rob Andrews came to the heart of Jersey City’s downtown today to hold a town hall meeting.

“We will expand the campaign anywhere people will have us,” said Andrews before holding court at a gazebo in the city’s Hamilton Park. “There’s one rule in the Andrews campaign – you have to be young at heart, you have to be willing to support us.”

The meeting was organized by the local councilman, Seven Fulop – a likely mayoral candidate next year and frequent critic of Jersey City Mayor/HCDO Chairman Jerramiah Healy, who supports Lautenberg.

Bayonne mayoral candidate Patrick Conaghan, flanked by councilmen Gary La Pelusa, left, and Anthony Chiappone. 

BAYONNE - Now that retired municipal judge Patrick Conaghan has lunged out of the gate as the first candidate to officially run for mayor in November’s special election, he means to keep an aggressive public schedule.

Both on the trail, and if elected.

"It’s a full-time job," said the 70-year old, lifelong Bayonne resident, referring to the office of mayor. "That was the problem with Mayor Joe Doria. He was in Trenton two days a week, and the inmates were running the asylum."

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1), center, and Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Hudson) greet Bayonne shopper Phil Ebersole. 

BAYONNE - As part of his continuing foray onto U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s north country turf, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) today shook the hands of food shoppers in this blue collar maritime stronghold.

At his side was renegade councilman turned Hudson County Democratic Organization ally Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Hudson), who backed Andrews in the congressman’s 1997 run for governor and backs him again in his primary run for U.S. Senate.

Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone

Two freshman legislators from Hudson County endorsed Rob Andrews for U.S. Senate today, bucking Hudson County Democratic Chairman/Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy’s decision to back Lautenberg.

Having briefly appeased some conservatives, including Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen), with his budget address last month, Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration now faces an uprising from the green wing of the state’s progressives, including the New Jersey Sierra Club.