Spanola, Yampaglia, Bianchi & Hughes win respective party nods
BCDO candidates win easily for Sheriff & Freeholder, Lyndhurst activist Mike Guarino wins GOP write-in to challenge incumbent Paul Sarlo in 36th Legislative Senate race
2007 Primary Election Democrat Totals
2007 Primary Election Republican Totals
NORTH ARLINGTON - In a light turnout, local Democrats out polled local Republicans nearly 3-1 in nominating incumbents Phil Spanola & Mark Yampaglia while the GOP nominated former candidate Joe Bianchi & Richard Hughes.
Spanola led the local ticket with 210 votes with his running-mate Mark Yampaglia receiving 201 votes. On the Republican side, Joseph Bianchi making his second bid for council received 79 votes with newcomer Rich Hughes receiving 77.
In the contested race for the county offices of Sheriff, incumbent Democrat Leo McGuire received 191 votes while his opponent Albert Gailes received just 29 votes. In the Freeholder race, incumbents Carroll, Padilla & Calabrese defeated the ticket of Ramos, Green & Haider 179, 192 and 191 to 31, 31 and 17. The challenge to the BCDO ticket was part of a far larger party dispute that involved who would be the state legislative ticket in the 37th district. When Governor Jon Corzine along with Congressman Steve Rothman brokered a deal that ended that political dispute, the challenging ticket nevertheless remained on the ballot and ran no viable campaign.
In the legislative race for New Jersey Senate, incumbent Paul Sarlo who is also seeking re-election as mayor of Wood-Ridge, received 212 votes with one vote cast for a personal choice. His running-mates Fred Scalera of Nutley received 210 votes while incumbent Gary Schaer of Passaic City received 193.
In what must be regarded as a mild suprise of sorts, former Democrat Michael Guarino of neighboring Lyndhurst received more than the required 100 write-in votes to qualify as the Republican nominee for the NJ Senate. Guarino, who changed parties in April was knocked off the ballot by a legal challenge that basically vacated the GOP nomination and nearly assured the incumbent no competition.
According to sources in Rutherford, over 100 GOP voters apparently wrote-in Guarino in what is being regarded as a backlash to the redevelopment policies of the McPherson Administration where the incumbent will be challenged by local attorney John Hipp in a highly competitive race for the office of mayor. McPherson, the two-term Rutherford mayor is also a Bergen County freeholder.
Tonight's results seem to suggest that redevelopment, EnCap and property taxes will continue to dominate the political agenda here in North Arlington as well as South Bergen.
"The status of EnCap and those who have opposed this project will be a positive in the general election. The local Democrats led by Mayor Pete Massa have made that case to voters to void the current deal and create a scenario that homeowners can support. It seems the North Arlington Democrats have the upper hand locally as we approach the fall campaign," said one Democrat after reviewing the results.
On the other hand, local Republicans have their work cut out for them.
"Bianchi and Hughes seem to be banking on the Democrats failing on Encap as a way to jump start serious opposition. It seems to me the Republicans lack any message or direction. Democrats seem to be delivering on issues like redevelopment reform, preventing eminent domain and stopping low income housing. The Republican position on these issues seems murky and vague. More importantly, they seem practically invisible politically and that doesn't bode well especially when less than 100 voters in the community even bothered to vote in the GOP primary. It is very apparent the Massa Administration is popular, fiscally conservative and prepared to move in a different direction as it applies to future development," said one longtime political observer.
Councilman Al Granell, who was elected to the council last year was cautiously optimistic about the Democrats chances come November.
"We're doing everything we can to stabilize property taxes and deliver on our promises of stopping eminent domain and low income housing. We need to continue to work hard and talk straight with voters and the issues we face as a community. What's important is that under Mayor Massa we have made tremendous strides to keep our promises and provide good government here in the borough. We've only been in office six months, but I'm confident with the team we have in place we can accomplish what needs too be done for homeowners," said the first-term Democrat.
