Between the lines It's war!

Political Column Hudson Reporter:
By Al Sullivan -- 02/20/2007

A lot of what is transpiring in Hudson County politics over the last few weeks may revolve around how uncomfortable the old political guard is with the growing power of state Assemblyman and Union City Mayor Brian Stack.

Although wary of Stack for several years, some traditional power brokers have raised alarm at Stack's move to unseat state Senator Bernard Kenny.

This alarm has more to do with Stack's amazing popularity with the North Hudson voters and his lack of reliance on the more traditional power grid.

Politics in Hudson County can be viewed as something of series of pyramids with those holding higher office standing on the shoulders of those who make up the organization. A powerful person is somewhat controlled by a network of mutual obligations.

While some political powerbrokers such as state Senator and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco have built solid organizations in their own districts, much of their power comes through forming alliances with other powerful leaders.

Some political forces have no political base and rely entirely on such negotiations. Former County Executive Robert Janiszewski often maintained his power by playing one powerful group off another.

Less confrontational, Kenny has also managed to build coalitions among Hudson County's mayors for his support. Kenny was able to defeat the powerful Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo by cobbling together a combination of reformers and political forces from around the county. As chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, Kenny's sole defeat as party leader came from grass roots supported Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham in the 2003 primary.

As with Cunningham, Stack scares some powerful politicos because of his deep roots in his community, a powerful vote-getting machine that does not rely on other powerbrokers, but threatens to steam roll over Kenny and the rest of the county unless stopped now.

The upcoming Democratic primary in June will determine if Stack can be stopped, and has resulted in a series of interesting alliances.

Rep. Albio Sires, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, and Jersey City Assemblyman Louis Manzo are seen as Stack supporters. By default, Jersey City state Senate candidate Sandra Cunningham, Bayonne Councilman and Assembly candidate Anthony Chiappone and possible Assembly candidate former Jersey City Council President L. Harvey Smith may be on Stack's side if only for their opposition of the HCDO.

Equally bizarre is the anti Stack alliance that seems to have Sacco, West New York Mayor and state Assemblyman Sal Vega, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Hoboken Mayor Dave Roberts working for Kenny's reelection.

A meeting between Healy and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise appears to line DeGise up with the anti-Stack forces. This has led to the rumor that Freeholder Bill O'Dea will join the Stack ticket to oppose DeGise in the primary.

Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria is caught in a strange position since his own reelection as state Senator depends upon the support of the HCDO.

Doria could lose the state senate

In the 31st district, Doria is leading an as yet unnamed ticket in opposition to Sandra Cunningham's ticket.

While Manzo was supposed to be with Doria, reports conflict as to why he is not.

Doria supporters claim Manzo has pulled his own name off the HCDO ticket, partly because Manzo does not want to run on a ticket that would be in opposition to Stack.

Manzo people claim Doria has been ill-advised by close associates of Healy and dumped Manzo.

Manzo and Smith are seen as contenders for Healy's mayoral slot in 2009. Some Healy supporters mistakenly believe that Cunningham will be satisfied with retaking the state Senate seat from Doria which her husband, Glenn, possessed until his untimely death in 2004. Some critics claim a state Senate victory for Cunningham is the first step to her unseating Healy as mayor. Some Healy people may already be jumping ship to the Cunningham camp in anticipation of her eventually becoming mayor.

Doria may be struggling because for the first time in his political career, he cannot count on the solid advice of former Bayonne Mayor Dennis Collins - who recently retired due to illness. Collins has been a master of political maneuvering since the 1960s, leaving a huge gap in Doria's campaign staff.

If Manzo is off the Doria ticket, who is on?

Reports vary, although Healy people apparently like Freeholder Jeff Dublin because he has the roots in the African-American community to cut into Cunningham's base. Other names have surfaced including Hudson County Sheriff Joe Cassidy and Hudson Reporter columnist Mat Amato as Doria running mates.

Doria is vulnerable because he could be blamed for an expected tax increase in Bayonne if Chiappone succeeds in blocking the passing of a budget balancing bond. More importantly, the selection of Dublin may backfire. African American voters in Jersey City may split the ticket voting for Dublin and Cunningham, instead of Doria.

Kenny may field a ticket

In the 33 rd District, Kenny is expected to put together a ticket of candidates in opposition to Stack.

Mayor Vega - currently the sitting Assemblyman - could be on that ticket as well as a candidate from Union City.

Reports suggest that Kenny and Vega will have the support of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, who apparently feels the same heat from Stack's popular appeal as other traditional Democrats.

Menendez, who saw a similar quick rise in power in the 1990s, may be looking over his own shoulder at Stack - believing Stack may be seeking to continue his rise up through the levels of government as Menendez did.