Schundler ally: he's running
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterJersey City Heights businessman Michael Yun, a long time friend political ally of Bret Schundler, said that the former mayor and gubernatorial candidate will seek to reclaim the city's top office in 2009.
“He’s definitely going to run, yes, and we’re organizing,” Yun told PolitickerNJ in a phone interview this morning.
Schundler has spent the last couple weeks attending neighborhood meetings and asking local politicians for support, aided by Yun. He recently announced his mayoral intentions to a gathering of Hudson County Republicans at their reorganization meeting, though in less definite language.
Although some politicians who have been approached by Schundler allies have rebuffed his request for support, Yun said that Schundler is popular with the public.
“The response from the seniors and low income residents in Jersey City, they say ‘Thank god Schundler’s coming back,” said Yun. “How the other politicians and leaders think of him is not a big issue at this point – he’s more consiereing how the people think and what kind of support he’s going to get from the public.
Yun said that Schundler is working on putting together a slate, but did not elaborate on who will join. Schundler’s supporters have recently made noise about an alliance with Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop.
Fulop could not immediately be reached for comment, but some of the local activists he’s close with have also been contacted about joining a Schundler slate and have refused.
Shelly Skinner, an education activist who plans to run for Fulop’s council seat regardless of whether he runs for mayor, said that Yun contacted to seek her support for Schundler.
“Bret doesn’t have my support. It’s certainly nothing personal, but I made it pretty clear to them that wasn’t a direction I was comfortable in going,” she said.
Skinner said that she wasn’t comfortable with Schundler’s conservative ideology, but more importantly, he’s been away from the political scene for too long.
“The Republican part is a piece of it, but the other thing is where has he been?”
Jimmy King, a former parking authority head and council candidate who runs a his own civic association, was also contacted by Schundler. He made no commitment one way or the other.
“I’m open to support anybody. I’m waiting to see who actually is running and who’s going to do the most to cure some of our problems in Jersey City,” he said. “Our crime, our streets are dirty, taxes. I’m waiting to see who’s on the right issues.”
Schundler, who has yet to make his bid official, could not be reached for comment.
The mayoral election is a non-partisan contest in this Democratic machine town. Also mulling bids against incumbent Mayor Jerramiah Healy are Steve Fulop, State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, former Assemblyman Lou Manzo and Assemblyman/former Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith.
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Michael Yun - Big Deal
For a guy who loves Jersey City so much, Michael Yun does not even live in Jersey City, so big deal. It's all about what Yun can get for himself not about Schundler. Then again Bret is only for Bret as well.
Schundler's day has come and gone. He used Jersey City as a stepping stone to higher office twice, pissed off his own party now Bret wants his old mayoral seat back to try it all over again? Schundler, the alleged Wall St Wizard, sold off the city assets with financial gimicks leaving the city in financial distress then bolted for higher office. It has always been about Bret as it is now.
Where has Schundler been in the last 8 years in JC? Even his own party wants nothing to do with him.
Schundler's run will be to rebuild his own failed political career as well as an ego stroke for himself.
Schundler is old news
Will be very difficult for Schundler to patch together the kind of coalition he'll need to win.
With Fulop out-of-the-race, it could make things interesting. The key of course is Cunningham.
Vote Column - All the way!
Welcome back
Bret. Time to turn things around.
Fulop's in the Race
When did Fulop get out of the race? He's a very strong candidate for mayor with a large following. Schundler's got no following in the city and has a long failed record to answer for. Fulop has a strong record on economic development and ethics reform and will be mayor.
game of chicken
Of course Shundlerites say Fulop is out,they cannot win if he is in.He needs Steve on his ticket to apease the downtown progressives who will not stomach his right wing veiws.In the end it will be Fulop vrs Healy vrs Harvey.
bret? bret who?
When was the last time Schundler even showed up at a city council meeting? After 2 beatings (McG and Forrester) Bret decides he wants to get back in the game. And then what? Another run at Trenton and another beat down?
The writing's on the wall, Jersey City has passed Bret by and we don't miss him and his Newt Gingrich "sensibilities" at all.
No, Bret, keep teaching at your little bible college and leave Jersey City to those who don't want to be President....well, except Fulop.
An oldie but a goodie - it's 2008: http://www.njfaq.com/bret2001/preex/buckley071999.shtml
Schundler has been...
Fact is Schundler is a has been, his time has passed. He needs to work his way up again, maybe he should give Fulop a call to run on his slate as a Councilman or something.
Speaking of which Fulop should get a slate going instead of gearing solo, it might help... then again it might not.
Cunningham is gonna cut a deal with Healy. Smith and Manzo will help take those votes away, and in comes Fulop...
At the end it's Healy vs Fulop!
Brett is Banking on Embankment and Church Groups Support
Schundler has been on the move every where recently including the recent Jersey City "Embankment Preservation Coalition" Benefit where word was he now "backs the EPC" when he was an opponent to it's goal of preserving open space during his mayoralty. Several Mayor 2009 candidates were also there including Steve Fulop who has long spoke of his support of the EPC and Lou Manzo who was a signatory to the EPC's petition, so guess Schundler didn't want to be left off another JC issue he's not supported in the past.
1999: The Embankment is listed on the State Register of Historic Places Listing followed a hearing and vote of the New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites and signing by the Commissioner of the State Department of Environmental Protection. Mayor Bret Schundler sent a contingent of City employees and a consultant to the board hearing to argue against historic designation. The vote of professionals on the board, however, was unanimous for listing.
Grace Van Vorst Church, where Schundler sits on the board, was also trying to set up a "city-wide coalition group" led by the actions of Reverend Janet Broderick. To benefit whom, I wonder? Hmmm....
http://www.embankment.org/
"Bright Moments, Bright Moments, Bright Moments, Right NOW!--Rahsaan Roland Kirk
sandy, harvey, and lou
if sandy cuts a deal with healy, it's a safe bet that harvey will too. harve is a good guy, but he got shut out when he ran for mayor - there's no reason to think it won't happen again. he's another one who hasn't set foot in city hall since leaving. no, if harvey wants to keep his undersheriff job ($80,000?) and his assembly spot ($49,000?), he'll play nice with the hcdo and that means supporting healy.
as for lou - he just can't seem to get the message that the voters of jc simply do not want him as mayor.
mayor schundler? ain't gonna happen.
DemocratDiaz
"Fact is Schundler is a has been, his time has passed. He needs to work his way up again, maybe he should give Fulop a call to run on his slate as a Councilman or something."
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Regerdless of how you and other bitter "Anybody but Schundler" people try to spin it, the bottom line is that Bret Schundler is an extremely well known and liked figure who did a lot of good for Jersey City and was re-elected twice by landslides.
Steve Fulop has absolutely no appeal whatsoever outside of Ward E and is not a viable candidate. If anything, it should be the other way around.
Before Fulop even thinks about running for mayor in Jersey City, he first needs to stop aligning himself with losers like Joe Vas and Lou Manzo and start gaining some street credibility.
Democracy is an awful way to run a country, but it's the best system we have.- Winston Churchill