Jersey City Latino leaders endorse Steve Fulop's bid for mayor

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
December 04, 2012 at 12:43 PM

Jersey City Ward E City Councilman Steve Fulop?s 2013 mayoral bid announced the endorsement today of some of the city?s Latino leaders, including the former councilman Fulop unseated when he first joined the council seven years ago.

Junior Maldonado, a Ward E councilman for one term until Fulop defeated him in 2005, said his former political rival will be ?an inclusive? mayor who will reach out to ?all the diverse communities? in the city.

?Jersey City can only be great when all its residents feel they have a say in the direction of the city,? Maldonado said in a statement released today by Fulop?s campaign.

Maldonado ran in 2005 as part of a ticket headed by Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Fulop?s chief rival for the mayoralty next year.

Maldonado is not the only former Healy loyalist to jump on the Fulop bandwagon. Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, who ran on Healy?s ticket in 2009 along with Maldonado, said today that she has ?gained a tremendous amount of respect? for Fulop.

?I have seen how hard he fights for his constituents and much he cares about every resident of the city,? she said. ?I know Steven will be a terrific mayor and I am proud to support him?

Lopez?s endorsement should come as no surprise. Though she first joined the nine-member council in 2005 as part of Healy?s team, she has in recent years sided more ? though not always ? with Fulop against administration initiatives.

Fulop today also touted endorsements from former deputy mayors Alma Santana and Anthony Cruiz, former Ward E councilman Jaime Vazquez and others.

Last week, a group of about a half-dozen black ministers endorsed Fulop over Healy, as did Hudson County Freeholder Bill O?Dea, while today two public-workers unions, including the Jersey City Education Association, endorsed Healy

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