Election Day and the Stack Factor
The allies of Albio Sires in North Hudson assert that the former congressman’s likeability will
simply wear down his opposition today and cement Sires’ legacy as West New York’s favorite son.
The voters, they say, will return the St. Peter’s basketball star and former mayor to his local throne of power: the Hudson County version of the Coronation of Charles, with Albio – after a lull – succeeding Albio.
But the deeper and perhaps longer organizational implications of today’s nonpartisan election in West New York involve state Senator (and Union City Mayor) Brian P. Stack (D-33), the younger North Hudson warlord living in proximity to his fellow double-dipping, political warpaint-wearing doppelganger: state Senator (and North Bergen Mayor) Nick Sacco.
By going to Congress and having to focus on issues like world peace and figures like Steny Hoyer, Sires yielded the local game – and in Hudson that’s the only game – to Stack and Sacco, Romulus and Remus ruffians who gave to Rome (or Trenton) what Rome required of them in the senate, but remained rooted as mayors.
No wonder Sires wants to finish his career as a mayor.
Or maybe always was one at heart.
If he beats Cosmo Cirillo tonight, Sires will do so officially with a combination of Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) establishment goodwill, his own considerable people power touch (which can’t be underestimated in Sires’ case), and Stack organizational muscle.
Redistricting last year shifted West New York from Sacco’s into Stack’s legislative district.
It’s no accident that Stack has blanketed the town with soldiers from his organization.
Always keen on playing statewide and projecting power on his – not the HCDO’s – terms, Stack wants a win tonight with his old friend Sires, to demonstrate West New York’s newly affixed presence in the Stack – not the Sacco – political universe. Certainly, the HCDO has its own fingerprints on the contest, but the chairman of the party – Anthony Vainieri – occupies a place on Sacco’s local ticket in North Bergen, where he is said to have an eye on cementing his own local fiefdom – perhaps in the aftermath of Sacco.
If he wins, Sires will have officially returned to his comfort zone, that place where mayors like Stack and Sacco and himself – back in the nineties – roam the streets like concrete kings.
But Stack – about 20 years younger than Sires and Sacco – even on the best of terms with both of them, with West New York in his legislative district has to prepare for something that doesn’t necessarily look like the past, and that’s the longer-range political future.
If Congressman Albio Sires wins today he will have a real partner alongside Senator Brian Stack. A young dynamic leader of the Democratic Party Brian Stack is a man of the street, someone who can be very useful to the aging but still formidable politician or to the political neophyte trying to upend the double dipper making a comeback. . Unlike Nicholas Sacco who kept his presence at a distance from West New York when he was the Senator ; we can expect Senator Brian Stack to embrace the people of West New York as he does the people of Union City and become a real partner to Albio Sires or to Cosmo Cirillo. Brian, as he is already known in Hudson County and State politics, due to his popularity, has already held a toy drive in West New York in addition to other activities and is expected to continue that trend of engagement. He will be a a welcoming asset to Albio Sires or Cosmo Cirillo in the sharing of power and leadership that can only be beneficial the people . . Brian, whom I met when I was a committeeman in Union City, has been consistent throughout his life in helping the people who need it most. He was just in his late teens already helping renters agains landlords. The perfect person to share leadership in the town of West New York with the next Mayor. .symbolizes his mantra, it’s about the people, with his actions. No matter who is Mayor , Brian Stack will have West New York’s back.
This guy gives me the creeps. Anyone else?
I’m a relatively recent resident of Union city but this guy not only sends mail at least once a week regarding his election (to both mayor and state senator – I didn’t know you could hold both full time positions!?) as well as has his face plastered everywhere. I’ve even had paper shoved under my front door and I live in a secure condo in the city!
It all feels a little too “Boss Tweed” to me. Today I got a letter (3 actually, one for my wife, myself, and “current resident) saying he was “disappointed” in me for not voting in the November 7 election!
Just a bit of advice to mayor stack: you might be a good guy but maybe tell us about what you’re doing to improve the city half as much as you’re campaigning for votes!