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Meet The New Kid On The Fast Track
Originally appeared in the North Jersey Herald & News on Sunday, August 22, 1993.
Bret Schundler.
Not exactly a house hold name, But when the name of the Jersey City mayor is mentioned in political circles, he's known as the rising star of the Republican party.
Those tuned into the political grapevine make comparisons to former New York Mayor John V. Lindsay, former Essex County Executive Peter Shapiro and former Paterson Mayor Lawrence "Pat" Kramer.
They all climbed up party ranks, giving off the image of sleeves
rolled
up, can
do kind of politician
with a winning smile
who was going places. They aspired to be the leaders of states or even the nation. But a run for president in 1972. Shapiro was the whiz kid who became the youngest Essex County executive and beat the Democratic machine in a gubernatorial primary. But he was trounced in the general election by GOP Gov. Thomas H. Kean in 1985. Kramer forged bipartisan coalitions to win four times as mayor in the Democratic city of Paterson. He was shot down in a primary run for the Statehouse in 1981. He lost again in a state Senate race in 1991.
At age 34, Schundler is on the fast track of New Jersey politics. His name already is being mentioned as a gubernatorial prospect.
And the most seasoned political spin wizard could not have produced a candidate with a more correct biography.
Schundler was the youngest of nine children and his grandparents were immigrants from Germany and Barbados. He worked as a dishwasher and janitor to get though Harvard University. During his senior year, Schundler interned with a Democratic congressman in Maryland. Schundler was hooked on politics and served as a field director with the presidential campaign of Democratic Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado.
He then started a taxpayers coalition in Jersey City while working as an investment executive in New York.
Schundler became a Republican in 1991 and lost a state Senate race that same year. That was the year almost nearly every other GOP legislative candidate won because of the backlash over Democratic Gov. Jim Florio's historic $2.8 billion tax increase.
Schundler on Thursday again entered statewide politics by endorsing GOP gubernatorial candidate Christie Whitman. At a time when her campaign appeared to be on the skids, Schundler's backing is viewed as significant and will not go unnoticed by the state and national Republican committees. It is hoped that Schundler can deliver the vote for Whitman in Hudson County, which is infamous for corruption
including delivering the Democratic vote from the graveyard.
With more police on the beat, the mayor said house break
ins, street drug deals and store burglaries are down. Crime is down 14 percent in the last six months Schundler said.
Next Schundler said he wants to introduce a school voucher plan which would allow parents to have the choice of sending their children to public, private or parochial schools.
To get people back to work, he wants to pay a private agency once it matches a welfare recipient with a private sector job paying more than the $15,000 handed out in social assistance.
"It's all about crime taxes and jobs," Schundler said. "The people in Jersey City and all over the state are sick and tired of the status quo."
He said it was easy to find voter support for his proposals.
"People shared what I wanted to do," Schundler said.
So far, Schundler appears to be playing all his political cards.
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