Hudson County Executive Craig Guy couldn’t help but feel the pro-Bill O’Dea vibes at a recent Jersey City Democratic Committee meeting.
“I am here to support Rob Menendez. I see you all are here to support Bill O’Dea (for Jersey City mayor in 2025),” Guy joked with the crowd, which roared its approval of the longtime Hudson County Board of Commissioners member — according to sources who attended the event.
Guy, who is expected to take over as chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization — the group that makes and breaks political careers in the county — was likely closer to the mark than some colleagues would like.
“There is a very strong level of support for O’Dea among the rank and file of Jersey City,” an insider said, noting that people sometimes forget that while O’Dea often rails against the establishment, he’s still an HCDO member.
“Democratic activist types, people who have been around a long time, county employees, city employees and people who have been around the game have a lot of respect for Bill.”
In an election that’s still 18 months away, there is a buzz that even some in the HCDO are turning in Bill O’Dea’s direction, or at the least hedging their early all-in support of former Gov. Jim McGreevey to succeed Steve Fulop, insiders say.
Five HCDO insiders told The Jersey Journal some members, especially in Jersey City, are losing interest in supporting McGreevey, who runs the New Jersey Reentry Corp., a resource center for reformed offenders and the underserved.
O’Dea, who has taken subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at McGreevey as an “outsider,” could not be reached for comment.
McGreevey says his campaign is going more than well after growing “positive feedback” from the people of Jersey City. Before even making it official in November, the former governor had the full support of the HCDO.
“We are talking about the issues that impact people’s lives,” McGreevey said. “Our quest is to focus on the mission and the mission is how do we make life in Jersey City more affordable, safer and recreation better. That is my focus.”
Former school board President Mussab Ali and current Jersey City City Council President Joyce Watterman are also in the race, and it remains to be seen if anyone can crack the O’Dea-McGreevey bubble and catch fire.
Current HCDO Chairman Anthony Vainieri has felt the positivity around O’Dea’s campaign.
“I wasn’t going to get involved in the mayoral race because I wouldn’t be the chair for the mayoral race in 2025,” said Vainieri, who has endorsed Guy for the HCDO chair. “However, I am hearing that O’Dea is picking up a lot of steam or momentum … maybe because they don’t like who is supporting McGreevey. I don’t know … I don’t think residents of Jersey City want an outsider running this city.”
One insider said O’Dea has Fulop, who’s running for governor in 2025, on his side, and the two have appeared at numerous events together. But another insider said Fulop isn’t going to publicly support O’Dea until he thinks he can win.
Two other insiders pointed to a recent social media post by Fulop that called McGreevey’s path to victory “very narrow/unlikely as it stands today due to his campaign being controlled by non-Jersey City (people).”
The undercurrent has helped create more of a “never-McGreevey” than a “pro-O’Dea” mentality, they say.
Insiders called the post a dig by Fulop at McGreevey’s biggest booster, Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian Stack, who was the first to endorse McGreevey for the position.
“The ground is sort of shifting in terms of the Fulop’s direct attacks and his supporters sort of signaling to not be with McGreevey,” one insider said. “I think Stack’s reluctance to throw his weight behind Fulop is a driving force behind it because Fulop wants a united Hudson County for his gubernatorial bid.”
Stack has remained mum on the 2025 gubernatorial election, telling The Jersey Journal last month that “it’s still early.” But, the insiders agreed, it has not gone unnoticed that Stack has made appearances with Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Fifth District, a potential gubernatorial candidate.
Support from the HCDO for a candidate means financial backing, boots on the ground, and organizational leadership. While an HCDO endorsement is often seen as a guarantee for candidates in Hudson County to win an elected seat, Jersey City has been an outlier. Fulop defeated the HCDO-back incumbent Jerramiah Healy in 2013.
One insider believes whoever wins will serve just one term because of the numerous financial decisions that many residents will not feel great about — like raising taxes, fixing a “top-heavy” police department and addressing overtime.
“Getting the fiscal house at the city in order is going to take a lot of hard choices,” the insider said.
