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Jersey City's GOP Mayor Guarantees Whitman Win
Originally appeared in the Bergen Record on Friday, August 20, 1993
JERSEY CITY
Schundler, a former Democrat who switched parties two years ago and
became the first Republican mayor of Jersey City in 75 years, threw his
support behind Whitman during a campaign rally in sweltering City Hall.
In doing so, Schundler pointed out what most political observers
acknowledge: The Democratic governor needs to win big in Hudson County
to be reelected. Schundler vowed to deliver the city and county,
predicting Whitman will take 55 percent of the vote in the city and 60
percent in the county.
"In other words, we believe that together we can guarantee Christie
Whitman's election," Schundler said to a jubilant crowd, sounding a bit
like the Jets quarterback who "guaranteed" a victory in Super Bowl III
in 1969. (The Jets won.). It was enough to send Frank Hague, the legendary Democratic boss of
Jersey City, spinning in his grave. The ornate City Council chambers
where Hague once ruled with an iron fist were packed with Republicans,
and some Democrats, to cheer Schundler's endorsement, which Florio's
campaign dismissed as irrelevant.
"He's a Republican mayor, and he's endorsing the Republican
candidate for governor, that's normal and expected," said Jo Astrid
Glading, a spokeswoman for the Florio campaign.
But Schundler is a very popular Republican right now in a city
where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10-1. Schundler won a four-year
term in May by a 2-1 ratio over Louis Manzo, a Democratic Hudson County
freeholder.
The Whitman campaign hopes to capitalize on Schundler's popularity
to cut into Florio's margin of victory in Jersey City and Hudson County.
It is clearly a key part of the campaign's strategy to beat Florio.
"A big victory in Hudson County has been essential to every
successful Democratic statewide candidate," Whitman said. "I wish I
could say any one particular act guarantees a victory. Nothing
guarantees a victory. But it is certainly an important boost to the
campaign."
In addition to Schundler, Whitman picked up the support of four
Democratic council members who ran on Schundler's "reform ticket." The
council members, Ferdinand Colon, Nancy Gaynor, Kathy Macci, and
William Gaughan, announced the formation of a Democrats for Whitman
organization.
During his mayoral race, Schundler said he was going to stay
neutral in the governor's race. Florio's key supporters in the city,
including former Rep. Frank Guarini, D-Hudson, had urged Schundler to
stay out of the race.
But Schundler said he was urged to get involved by citizens who
support his school voucher proposal, a proposal embraced by Whitman
that would allow city residents to receive public funds to send their
children to private schools. Florio opposes the proposal, saying it
would undermine the public school system by diverting public funds to
private schools.
Robert Cummings, a young father who was playing with his
10-month-old daughter at Van Vorst Park, said he supports the school
voucher program. A Democrat who voted for Schundler in May, Cummings
said he has no preference in the governor's race, but is happy that
Whitman supports school vouchers, too.
"If I can get a voucher and send my daughter, Elizabeth, to private
schools I would do it," Cummings said. "Absolutely."
Cummings and other city residents interviewed Thursday said they
will take a second look at Whitman because of Schundler's endorsement.
"I'm getting a little disappointed with Florio," said a woman
sitting on her front porch, who identified herself as a Democrat.
"Florio is going to go out, right?"
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