Essex insiders are closely watching the Ironbound council race this year, where longtime veteran East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador wants to avoid a runoff and win outright on May 8th in the face of a perceived robust challenge by former Police Director Anthony Campos in a multi-candidate contest.

“It will depend on hard core voters,” a source told InsiderNJ, assessing the chances of Amador, who has long depended on mobilizing the ward’s older Portuguese voters.

The councilman is running on a ticket topped by incumbent Mayor Ras Baraka.

Running in a field of challengers that includes the Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins-affiliated Crystal Fonseca (daughter of veteran operative Pablo Fonseca, who’s running the Chaneyfield Jenkins for Mayor Campaign), Campos is raising money, cranking out lit pieces and enjoying the benefits of solid name ID.

“Augie has to raise money,” the source said.

His supporters see this as the toughest race of the incumbent’s career.

“When you’ve been around for 20 years, you inevitably upset people,” a source said.