Wednesday, June 04, 2003

By Peter Weiss
Journal staff writer

Walking into Puccini's restaurant in Jersey City to the strains of the Marine Corps hymn, Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham claimed a "wonderful" political victory last night by winning the Democratic nomination for state Senate in the 31st District.

At least one of his running mates for Assembly appeared to also have won one of two nominations, but the second spot was very much in doubt last night, when county elections officials closed up with eight districts unreported in Jersey City.

Cunningham defeated Jersey City City Council President L. Harvey Smith, the candidate of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, and attorney Vincent Militello of Bayonne.

Cunningham running mates Bayonne Councilman Anthony Chiappone and former Hudson County Freeholder Louis Manzo of Jersey City may have eked out wins over 12-term Assemblyman and Bayonne Mayor Joseph V. Doria Jr. and first-term Assemblywoman Elba Perez-Cinciarelli of Jersey City.

Incomplete returns had Chiappone 87 votes ahead of Doria and 98 ahead of Manzo, but with the missing districts in Jersey City, the Cunningham team was hopeful of prevailing. Perez-Cinciarelli trailed Chiappone by 926.

"This has been a hard and difficult campaign," Cunningham said, comparing it to his race for mayor two years ago.

The results seemed to pit the Jersey City portion of the legislative district against the Bayonne portion. The Cunningham slate won big in the Jersey City part of the district, overcoming their foes' strong showing in Bayonne.

Militello finished second in Bayonne but was far behind in Jersey City.

Cunningham, who has been battling the HCDO for the past 18 months, made it a point to thank "the few elected officials" who were with him throughout. He cited Councilwoman Viola Richardson, who he said has suffered "ridicule" for supporting him. She is his only ally among the nine council members.

"I'm still going to be the mayor here. This will allow me to be a better mayor for the people of Jersey City," Cunningham said. One of his themes was that as a senator, he would ensure Jersey City gets more state aid. The city lost 80 percent of its Distressed Cities Aid this year.

"We are going to have an impact on legislation in Trenton that is for the people, for the people, for the people," Cunningham said as the crowd began chanting "for the people, for the people."

Smith, a one-time Cunningham ally and running mate two years ago, conceded defeat at 9:30 p.m.

"I'm sorry I couldn't pull it off," Smith told supporters at the HCDO headquarters on Washburn Street near Journal Square. "We ran a hard race and did what we could but unfortunately we fell short."

Earlier in the evening, after Bayonne results were tabulated, Doria said he thought it would be enough to offset Manzo's and Chiappone's showing in Jersey City.

His enthusiasm dampened later, although with only a 11-vote margin between himself and Manzo he was hardly ready to concede.

"I just want to say it's been a tough race but it's been a good campaign. . The results are still up in the air but we're the best team," he told supporters at Casino-in-the-Park in Jersey City.

"We fell a little short but that's the way it goes. This is God's will," running mate Perez-Cinciarelli said.

Chiappone, speaking at Puccini's, hoped the Cunningham victories would open a new era in Hudson politics.

"This is an opportunity to change politics in Hudson County as we know it today," Chiappone said. "We were up against a lot of money but guess what? We had heart."

State Sen. Bernard Kenny of Hoboken, the county Democratic chairman who was unopposed in his 33rd District primary, said the HCDO simply couldn't overcome Cunningham's head start.

"When we started in January we knew the race would be difficult because we were going against an incumbent mayor in his own city. We were down 35 points, but Harvey Smith made it very competitive."

Smith agreed he should have started campaigning sooner.

"I don't want to make excuses, I lost. Glenn's message, I guess, was stronger than mine," Smith said.

Asked if he would campaign for Cunningham in November, Smith replied, "I don't think he would need help. It's a foregone conclusion he will win."

In November, Cunningham faces Carmen Mendola of Bayonne, who was unopposed in the Republican primary. Republican Assembly candidates Donna James of Bayonne of Stephen Schulz of Jersey City were also unopposed.

Also running in the 31st District are Green Party candidates Eric Olsen of Jersey City for Senate, and Jonathon Oriole of Bayonne and Pamela Olsen of Jersey City for Assembly.

State Sen. Nicholas Sacco, the North Bergen mayor, Assemblywoman Joan Quigley of Jersey City and Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto of Secaucus were unopposed in the 32nd District Democratic primary. John Pluchino of North Bergen defeated Frank McCormack of Secaucus for the Republican nomination for Senate. Anna Crespo-Hernandez and Delia Kelly, both of Harrison, were unopposed for the Republican Assembly nominations.

Also running in the district are independents Denis Jaslow of North Bergen for Senate and Eric Dixon and Eugene McCrohan, both of North Bergen for Assembly.

Joining Kenny on the 33rd District Democratic ticket are Assembly Speaker Albio Sires, also the mayor of West New York, and Union City Mayor Brian Stack, who were unopposed yesterday.

Republicans had no candidates on the ballot in the 33rd District, but were conducting a write-in campaign for Assemblyman Rafael Fraguela, who switched parties after being denied renomination by the Democrats. He plans to run for Senate. Elise DiNardo of Weehawken and Jose Munoz of West New York are the prospective Republican Assembly candidates in the district.

Maria Rios of Hoboken is running for Assembly on the Green Party slate.