Dan Reiman

Joseph Vas, who won just 39% of the vote last month in his bid for re-election to a sixth term as Mayor of Perth Amboy, was elected Democratic Municipal Chairman last night. Vas, a two-term Assemblyman, defeated Jim Nanton, 35-6. Ray Geneske, the longtime Democratic Chairman and a staunch Vas ally, did not seek re-election.

U.S. Senate candidate Rob Andrews added to his Middlesex County support today with endorsements from State Sen. Joseph Vitale, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman, and East Brunswick Democratic Chairman Shawn Taylor.   State Sens. Barbara Buono and Robert Smith announced their support of Andrews yesterday.

Yesterday's election results in Perth Amboy are a mixed bag for Mayor/Assemblyman Joseph Vas. Vas' slate eked out a very close election against candidates who made Vas' leadership of the city the focal point of the campaign. Despite the fact that Vas himself was not up for election, the race was viewed as a referendum on his leadership as mayor.

Vas, who is engaged in an uphill battle against former Assembly Speaker Albio Sires for the Democratic nomination in the 13th Congressional District, cannot be encouraged by the fact that nearly half the voters in his hometown voted against his endorsed council candidates. The split in Perth Amboy, where four years earlier the incumbent slate faced no opposition at all, could also encourage Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and others to challenge Vas for his 19th District Assembly seat next year

A sign that Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas' base in Middlesex County might have some holes in it: Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman took Assembly Speaker Albio Sires around and introduced him to attendees at the municipal reorganization meeting on New Year's Day. Vas has represented Carteret in the Assembly since 2004. U.S. Senator-designate Robert Menendez also attended the Carteret meeting.