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It was "Revenge of the Nerds", the downtown edition.
Let’s look at the laundry list of anti and FORMER Fulop supporters downtown that came out of hibernation and came together to send a message. I won’t say who branded them this, but I like the name - the JC Intelligentsia.
Ellen Simon, Sangeeta Ranade, Leda Duif, Dan Levin, Matt Shcaprio, John Thieroff, Jake Hudnut, Brigid Dsouza, Amy Wilson, Felicia Noth, Emmy Tiderington, Yvonne Balcer, Esther Wintner, April Kouzas, and they were even willing to embrace Bill Matsikoudis. Michael Yun and Rich Boggiano are the standard bearers that now welcome James Solomon.
The Ward E race revelaed a lot of things, but the biggest thing - the changing nature of Jersey City and it’s politics, especially in downtown. This election had one significant feature and IT WASN’T MONEY RELATED.
The two final candidates in the runoff collectively had less than 5 years in Jersey City COMBINED. However, Symes and Solomon made it to the final dance. One hundred fifty to two hundred votes could have swung the entire race. And solomon - you need to be thankful for the run-off.
All these JC activists, you better gear up for one major fight next year and KEEP THAT RUNOFF. It’s what kept James alive, and eliminating a runoff will only benefit the incumbents and the patronage. It might not feel fair right now, but the runoff kept you alive and gave you a second a chance. Don’t give that up now. IF ANYTHING - you should break up these elections like HOBOKEN has and move them back to the spring.
Ward E race showed that Fulop’s coattails are done. Rebecca tried to attach herself to him in the final days the way Fulop did when he ran against Junior Maldonado almost 12 years ago. How does Steven Fulop go from winning 83% of Ward E, to not endorsing a candidate at all and have the opposition candidate win? If you asked me, something fishy went on here, and this has the hints of a little SABOTAGE…..
The only way independent candidates can win - outspend the machine. Let’s face it, it’s how Fulop beat Healy. Its how Yun beat Fulop and Healy in ’13, and it was a major factor in Solomon beating Symes.
This is a dangerous proposition though - because where was Solomons money from? All outside of Jersey City - I hope he spends the next four years doing something in Jersey City and getting actual money from residents here. It’ll be quite telling.
For everyone still mad about the SUPER PAC - get over it. You had your own SUPER PAC - it’s called James Solomon’s trust fund. Yun and he combined should start their own SUPER PAC to fund independent candidates - I bet you won’t complain about that one.
And as for Rebecca - it’s simple. She failed to get out her vote. James knew who his voters and got them come out again. Rebecca’s campaign failed to translate in the field, despite outworking Solomon, the flood of endorsements, and institutional support she received.
You look at these results and I only see one thing - Solomon’s number from the general to the runoff were almost the same. Rebecca’s voters simply failed to come out again.
Ward E was not a blow out. It was a tight race and I knew from the beginning of the race this was possible. Sources said confidently that Rebecca would win the general, and she did. However, the same sources a week later couldn’t even say they would win the runoff. Why? Solomon voters knew the runoff date and always worked towards it. Symes' campaign missed something and I know there are some operatives looking at this still scratching their heads.