WINNERS
Jimmy Davis
Dragging his incumbent opponent into the runoff election, the Bayonne Police Captain built off of his momentum and edged his rival, 51 to 49%. Those boosted by his win included renegade Bayonne diehard Pat Desmond; former Menendez state directors Mike Soliman and Nick Chiaravalloti; and Economic Growth and Social Justice PAC Director Sean Caddle.
Ras Baraka
The Newark Mayor-elect secured the election in last night’s runoff of his two May 13th running mates to give himself a 5-4 majority on the City Council.
Joe DeMarco
Davis knew the value of his campaign manager when in victory last night he gave DeMarco a special shout-out from the stage. The former counsel in West New York, Jersey City native DeMarco has built an impressive political resume off of two anti-establishment wins. First it was Felix Roque’s stunning victory in 2011, and now the Davis Campaign in Bayonne.
Eric Jackson
The former city public works director claimed victory last night over Paul Perez in the Trenton mayo’s contest. He won by over 1,000 votes. The mayor’s campaign team and sphere of influence included James Gee, Julie Roginsky, Eric Tundstall, Jason Carty, Jeannine LaRue, former Mayor Doug Palmer, and Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-22).
Ray Lesniak
The founder of the super PAC Economic Growth and Social Justice, the 20th District state senator put money and campaign resources behind Jimmy Davis in the June 10th runoff.
Mildred Crump
Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins’ victory over Darrin Sharif in Newark’s central ward increases the councilwoman-elect’s chances of returning to the council presidency.
Shaun Golden
Notching 54% of the vote, the Monmouth County Sheriff ousted former state Senator John Bennett to become the new chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Committee.
LOSERS
Mark Smith
Once a talked-about candidate for governor and former chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO), the hero cop from Bayonne went down in defeat last night in his beloved home city.
Jason O’Donnell
Smith’s firefighter campaign manager is also the assemblyman representing Bayonne from the 31st District. As a consequence of Smith’s loss last night, O’Donnell faces the prospect of not getting the line next year in a bid for re-election.
Paul Swibinski
The veteran Democratic Party political operative and Nick Sacco disciple took total charge of the Smith campaign’s messaging in the runoff election and came up short last night.
Darrin Sharif
Once a promising newcomer who worked hard as the Central Ward representative and aborted his own 2014 run for mayor of Newark to pursue re-election to the city council, Sharif lost last night to Gayle Chaneyfield-Jenkins.
Luis Quintana
In a play for the council presidency, the city’s acting mayor (and at-large councilman-elect) got behind Sharif, who failed to win, thereby depriving Quintana of a continued reign of power from the command chair on the council.
John Bennett
The former president of the state senate last night lost his chairmanship of the Monmouth County Republican Committee.
