Sires Wins Back the West New York Mayoralty
After 16 years in federal office, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-8) elected not to run for reelection to the United States House of Representatives last year and instead decided to run for mayor of his hometown. Tonight, Sires won back the mayoralty of West New York, which he occupied from 1995-2006, by his own reckoning the job in government he liked the most.
Running with the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, Governor Phil Murphy, Democratic State Party Chairman LeRoy Jones, and powerful state Senator Brian P. Stack, Sires defeated Commissioner Cosmo Cirillo.
It was roughly a 1500-margin victory for Sires’ team – a five-person sweep.
For more on ALBIO SIRES please go here.
For InsiderNJ Columnist Fred Snowflack’s coverage from the streets of West New York earlier today, please go here. It was Snowflack who relayed the news tonight from Cirillo’s headquarters, when the commissioner conceded that Sires had vanquished him.
Per Snowflack:
“At Cirillo headquarters on Hudson Avenue, his crowd of sign-waving supporters were In high spirits in the minutes before the polls closed.
“Music was blaring and supporters were dancing and congratulating each other in anticipation of victory.
“It was not to be.
“As results came in, it was clear things were not going well.
“At around 8:30 p.m., Cirillo told the crowd:
“’They’re not the results we were looking for. … this is not going to be our time.’”
The former Congressman won.
A former Speaker and former Republican turned Democrat, Sires at 72 continues to excel at relationship building, as evidenced by the broad support he received within the political establishment and manifested with his local vote totals tonight.
America served as a civic and civil savior for young Sires, whose family fled communist Cuba and resettled in West New York, in Hudson County, beloved proving ground for the young athlete, who would distinguish himself as a St. Peter’s Basketball star and come to epitomize immigrant opportunity made good in a life of public service.
He succeeded Anthony DeFino as mayor, then plugged up the congressional seat following his friend and fellow Cuban, Bob Menendez’s ascent to the United States Senate.
After 16 mostly frustrating but also – in the end – gratifying, if simultaneously heartbreaking years in the United States Congress, the former WNY mayor doesn’t want out – but back in at the local level, where it all began for the 11-year-old anti-Castro American diehard with the ready smile and instantly recognizable stentorian voice.
He climbed from mayor up the totem pole to Congress, and – a little horrified by what he found up there – craves a return to that more local perch, where he says the real power resides.
EDITOR’S NOTE: InsiderNJ Photo by Fred Snowflack.
Albio Sires and his team have earned a resounding victory in the local elections in West New York. In what was expected to be a close election it turned out to be a solid victory . The support given by the Hudson County Democratic Committee snd New Jersey State democrats was too much to overcome for the nascent campaign of Cosmo Cirillo and his team.
Albio’s victory signaled the return of a politician that as a neophyte 28 years ago took over the helms of a town in the grips of a Federal investigation and with all that turmoil gave West New York 12 of the best years in its history. A recap of his accomplishments include the number 1 Abbott public school system. The development of the swamplands in River Road into homes, condos, and businesses now called the Gold Coast. New schools sprouted in town along with low income and middle income housing. And the public services department was second to none. The police department became a model professional force.
This is a second run for Albio. He has now returned as a polished and sophisticated politician after a 16 year stint in Congress. This is a great opportunity for West New York. Very few towns can acquire a politician of Albio’s stature. We can rest assure that the structures he has promised will come to fruition if his past history is any indication.
Cosmo Cirillo gave it a valiant effort . He was overwhelmed by the fire power facing him. Cosmo is of the next generation of outstanding leaders waiting in the wings. The erstwhile mayor of West New York , Gabriel Rodríguez also portends a bright future. Gabriel, a protege of Albio Sires, stepped aside to let his mentor have a second opportunity to run the town in exchange for a seat in the state legislature..
It’s time to coalesce and galvanize and move the little Immigration haven West New York forward into a prosperous future.
I want to know else won an what do they plan on doing to the city of west new your because nothing ever gets done to many years of promises and nothing is complete or done
La política es el camino para que los hombres sin memoria sean gobernados por los hombres sin principios, sires es un corrupto al igual que el pedofilo de bob menendez, cuando los cubanos protestaban en cuba en el 2021 y los exiliados hacíamos lo mismo en bergenline ave y Washington dc , ni sires ni menendez se aparecieron por ningún lado, es más menendez llamo castrista a los que pedían intervencion militar para cuba
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEHAVE OF THE JAIME FAMILY.
Sires probably can’t point to a single useful thing he’s done for anyone in NJ outside his circle of friends. Two poor choices for mayor. Neither of them worth voting for.
Increíble que esto pase en una democracia, a Sires lo obligaron a irse del Congreso para que el hijo de Menendez ocupara su asiento , el premio de consolación fue la alcaldía y al alcalde Rodriguez lo mandaron para la asamblea estatal por
“portarse bien “. Deberían existir leyes o comités de ética que impidan semejante relajo y falta de respeto. Y no me hablen de los votos, en Hudson County es bien sabido que quien no corre por la línea del partido no gana porque el pueblo vota obediente por quien le digan.
It is incredible that this happens in a democracy, Sires was forced to leave Congress so that Menendez’s son could take his seat, the consolation prize was the mayoralty and Mayor Rodriguez was sent to the state assembly for “behave “. There should be laws or ethics committees that prevent such relaxation and disrespect. And don’t talk to me about the votes, in Hudson County it is well known that whoever does not run along the party line does not win because the people obediently vote for whoever they are told.
Congratulations Sir 🙏
The Gold Coast was already being planned and developed in the 80s. Let’s not forget how many people were burned out of there homes in Hoboken. Idk how anyone can give Sires that much credit. It was just timing, nothing more. All of these old school, elderly Hudson county politicians are power hungry. These seats are thrones to them.
Sires did not spearhead River Road! This article is dated from 1984. Give me a break!
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/25/nyregion/hudson-waterfront-new-gold-coast.html
Labio Sires and his commissioners want total control of the Town of West New York, this administration is as corrupt as it gets!!