Who's up, who's down in Hudson power rankings

The Jersey Journal
Politicial Insider Column
Wednesday, July 02, 2008

For the fun of it, The Political Insider decided to do a mid-term power ranking of Hudson County's most influential politicians. The last time we did a list was after at the start of the new year. We will continue to make January the primary ranking and it might even be expanded from 10 to 25 and include more nonelected personalities. Here is a recap of the last ranking.

No. 1 then was Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who is also chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization. Then, from top to bottom, came Brian P. Stack, Union City mayor and state senator, Nicholas Sacco, North Bergen mayor and state senator, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, County Executive Tom DeGise, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop, Assemblyman Ruben Ramos of Hoboken, and Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone, who is also a Bayonne councilman.

For the mid-term list, some fell out of the top 10 and new names are on it. Here they are.

Let us leave Healy at the top since not much has changed, except he has more campaign money, successfully (or luckily) backed Barack Obama, and has more worries.

No. 2 is Cunningham. The senator is creating quite a stir in the county seat. Everyone is waiting to hear whether she challenges Healy for his crown or supports him. She is at the center of the Jersey City universe and all other politicians are waiting for the supernova.

No. 3 is Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise. He has gone up a rung or two on the ladder because of his successful re-election. Despite denials, he is among the HCDO hierarchy that influences municipal race results. Healy cannot win re-election without support from DeGise and those county minions.

No. 4 is the old reliable, Sacco. He still has influence across the county because of the number of seats he controls in various agencies.

No. 5 is Stack, who could have fallen several more rungs after not taking stronger stands against the HCDO. Yet, he still controls the 33rd District and expects his influence to spread into the Jersey City Heights. What does not kill you, yadda, yadda. He did not fall further because of the very weak roster of county politicians.

No. 6 is someone who has not even won an election - Bayonne Police Director Mark Smith. No knock on Smith, but remember what we were saying about the lackluster collection of electeds? Smith is favored to win the special mayoral election in November over former Judge Patrick Conaghan because he has the support of the local Democratic organization and the HCDO. Bayonne can again become an influential city, should the Dems get their act together. If Conaghan wins, pencil him in here.

No. 7 may be controversial. It is reserved for former Jersey City Mayor and unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor Bret Schundler. While he has not "officially" announced he is running for mayor, he is working hard to put together a ticket and a campaign. Schundler is a definite danger to Healy - and to Fulop. Should Cunningham run, Healy would have to beat out Schundler for a possible runoff spot.

No. 8 is West New York Mayor Sal Vega. And just when you thought he was dead. He has been keeping his nose clean in Stack's 33rd District. He has backed Stack's play in several issues and has been a model neighbor. Not that the Union City mayor is ready to turn his back.

Apparently, at a local Dem reorganization meeting, Vega made a speech to the faithful that the day will come when they will reclaim the Assembly seat occupied by local Caridad Rodriguez and the one in Congress occupied by Sires.

No. 9 are both Sires and his chief of staff for the state, Turner. They are dropping like a stone because of the deal Turner worked out with the HCDO that placed Sires on the HCDO column on the primary ballot. They no longer have assurances from Stack that he will watch Sires' back. Even the Jersey City mayor (whoever that might be) will want the congressional seat for his city.

No. 10 is a tough one. This is a wild card allowing the Insider to name several people. From Hoboken we will just list those three potential mayoral favorites. They are City Council members Beth Mason, Michael Russo and Peter Cammarano. Mason is here by virtue of her ability to raise funds and noise, Russo because of his old-style organization, and Cammarano because he is the most likely to head a coalition slate - and the reason the first two have surrogates attacking him. No Mantoloking vacations for this group.

Add former Assemblyman Lou Manzo, turned public advocate, who will either run for mayor in Jersey City and try for a Tom Vezzetti-like voter response, or wind up in the Cunningham camp should she choose to run.