This is why people love New Jersey politics
By Wally Edge
Rudy Garcia's wife is now running on the HCDO line for State Assembly.One indication of how upside-down Hudson County is these days: the wife of former Union City Mayor/Assemblyman Rudy Garcia will run for the State Assembly on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line, while Nicholas Chiaravalloti, a top aide to U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, could wind up running for State Assembly against the HCDO.
Nicole Harrison Garcia and former Hoboken Councilwoman (and mayoral candidate) Carol Marsh will run for Assembly in the 33rd district on a slate with Senate candidate Sal Vega, an Assemblyman and the Mayor of West New York. On a slate headed by Senate candidae Brian Stack, an Assemblyman and the Mayor of Union City, the Assembly candidates would be Hoboken Councilman Christopher Campos and West New York Commissioner Caridad Rodriguez, an aide to Congressman Albio Sires.
The meltdown of Rudy Garcia's political career will probably become one of those stories old time politicians tell young up-and-comers for years to come. Garcia was a promising 29-year-old lawyer when he was selected to fill a vacant seat in the State Assembly in 1993, and when incumbent Union City Mayor Bruce Walter died in 1998, Garcia was popular enough to win the support of Menendez's political organization to be appointed Mayor.
Within a year, Garcia split with Menendez and sought to exercise the clout that comes with being Mayor. He forged an alliance with County Executive Bob Janiszewski and dumped Menendez ally Neftali Cruz from his seat on the Hudson County Board of Freeholders; Cruz's seat was filled by Stack, who was a local rival of Menendez and Garcia, and who ran unsuccessfully for City Commissioner the year before. And he fired Menendez's best friend, powerful North Jersey lawyer Donald Scarinci, as the City Attorney.
But Garcia's own ambition proved to exceed his own leadership abilities, and he quickly lost support in Union City. Stack forged a relationship with Menendez and together they engineered a recall effort that forced Garcia's resignation as Mayor in 2000 and took away his seat in the State Assembly in 2001.
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Syndicate
Campos? I doubt it.
Campos? Wally do you mean the other Hoboken Councilman Ruben Ramos?
Campos is the Hoboken councilman caught in a NYC DWI a few weeks back. He is running for reelection for council in May. With the DWI, innocent or guilty, would it be politically wise for Brian Stack to put this guy on his ticket?
Plus Campos is a Mayor Dave Robert's ally, who is with the HCDO.
I think you meant Ramos.
Its a law of nature
The chaos in Hudson is just a reality check on who's got the juice. Once the intramural scrub with no helmets and pads is over in June, the new and "improved" HCDO will take the field for November.
The new balance will be a somewhat united Jersey City and Bayonne against a fragmented north. <p>
The south will rise again when Mrs Cunningham is appointed to fill the unexpired term of Senator Manzo when he is sworn in as Mayor of Jersey City 3 weeks before the 2009 primary.
Mayor Manzo?
LOL, Manzo? Wishful thinking.
How many times has Manzo run for Jersey City Mayor now?
FOUR!
1992 - Lost
1993 - Lost
2001 - Lost
2004 - Lost
Let's not even count the other offices Manzo ran for and lost or the fact his own family hasn't supported him publicly. Caulk this year up for another loss for Manzo.
If you want to find a picture of Lou Manzo, look in the dictionary under the definition of Stupidity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result to occur.
Ramos
Yes, that was a typo. It is Ramos, not Campos. Sorry.
where's Bob?
I wouldn't take Menendez's aide running w/ Stack as a sign that Menendez doesn't support the HCDO.
It is interesting however to point out how powerful Menendez was as a local leader, things have completely fallen apart without his input.
Guess who this was...
Failed in business. Was defeated for legislature. Lost his job and couldn't get into law school. Declared bankruptcy, and spent the next 17 years of his life paying off the money he borrowed from friends to start his business. Was defeated for legislature again. Had a nervous breakdown and spent the next six months in bed. Was defeated in becoming the speaker of the state legislature. Was defeated in becoming elector. Was defeated for Congress Was defeated for Congress. Was defeated for Congress again. Was rejected for the job of Land Officer in his home state. Was defeated for Senate. Was defeated for Vice-President -- got less than 100 votes. Was defeated for Senate for the third time. Was elected President of the United States.
Northern Light: It's me, honest Abe Lincoln.
To answer your question: Abe Lincoln.