Sen. Stack holds a political revival at Fulop suds gathering

Published: Saturday, August 20, 2011
By Agustin C. Torres/The Jersey Journal


Sen. Brian Stack, there in the center, is greeted by Jersey City residents after he spoke to them at Councilman Steven Fulop's meet and greet gathering.

I guess Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop was kidding when he said: "You know, it's supposed to be a closed meeting."

After all, he was half-smiling. Yet, the councilman's non-smiling half was edgy, and there was a pinch of nervous energy in his body language.

I responded -- with a half-serious smile: "So, throw me out."
C'mon, after all, it's a beer garden, Peter Mocco's place at Liberty Harbor North. You would of thought Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and his crew would have been here just for the ambience.

The crowd of about 125 mostly Downtown residents were holding their glasses of beer and soda and listening to the key speaker of this meet-and-greet on Wednesday. Union City Mayor and Sen. Brian Stack moved back and forth in the mega suds saloon choosing not to use a microphone.

I can see why Fulop was nervous. Impromptu sessions like these sometimes can reveal more than you intended, but the words were measured. There were no gaffs. Well, there was school board member and November council candidate Sue Mack's crowd-murmuring Never Never Ending speech.
Stack was speaking to his new legislative district
constituents in Jersey City. After the Census, the Democratic Party engineered a redrawing of the senator's 33rd District.

The idea was to weaken Stack's voting strength so that they can take him off the Hudson County Democratic Organization line two years from now. West New York and Guttenberg, which have always voted heavily for Stack, were removed from the 33rd. They handed him what they believe would be few available votes from much of the Jersey City Heights and Downtown.

This evening two of the county Democratic Party's major mavericks were in the same room. There was much talk about working closely together.

Stack made it clear. He said the Hudson County Democratic Organization wanted to remove him in two years. The senator said he was loath to interfere with the picking of leaders in other municipalities in the past, but this time, he emphatically said: "I will be very involved in the Jersey City election."

He said the city's residents are being denied even the most basic municipal services, such as clean streets. The North Hudson politician criticized those who seek votes from residents and then disappear after the ballots are cast, while praising Fulop for being among the few who are always available.

"Councilman Fulop is there for you and he and I will work closely together when you need something from the state," Stack said.

The man from Union City said some Jersey City politicians are more interested in spending time on the Jersey Shore than in Hudson County -- or they're scheduling meetings at a local bar rather than attending school functions. This drew some appreciative shouts and applause.

The crowd was energetic and curious. It was almost as if they were ready to start campaigning that night. They were obviously looking to support someone else besides Fulop, someone else to trust. Stack worked the crowd like a low-key Elmer Gantry.

Of the Stack and Fulop show, one man behind me said: "This is the county's worst nightmare." By county he meant the HCDeadO.

There were questions, including how to improve education, his relationship with Gov. Chris Christie, and about marriage equality. The senator said education requires parental participation and explained ways it is approached in Union City. Of Christie, Stack said he will work with anyone who can help his constituents. As for same sex marriages, it is one of a number of issues he and the governor have had disagreements. Stack was acknowledged from the audience as a big supporter of gay rights.

When the evening came to a close, Stack was swarmed by people who engaged him in conversation or took photos with him. Some candidates for the special election in November for two council seats were able to get shots with the senator that will look good on a campaign poster.
It should be noted that despite all the good feelings and rhetoric, Stack never said, "I endorse Steve Fulop for mayor."

Still, most people came away feeling that he did.