Andre Sayegh

Up for re-election next year, veteran Paterson Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres expects imminent contact with Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie.

"Whether he initiates it or we do, at the end of the day we have to work together," Torres said. "If we shun each other, it will only get worse. We're going to have to have bipartisan support to get over the major hurdles of a financial crisis. The people have spoken.

"I've never looked for handouts, but have sought state aid to respond to definite needs in Paterson," added the mayor. "There is no pork barrel here."

Mayor for the past seven plus years, Torres is seeking a third term in 2010 and faces an emergent field of challengers, including Council President Jeffrey Jones and, potentially, At-Large Councilman Rigo Rodriguez and Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh.

Councilman Julio Tavarez

Paterson - New Jersey's third largest city and now on the brink of a mayoral election next year - delivered the same voter turnout for Gov. Jon Corzine that he received four years ago in his first bid for governor.

These results are unofficial and don't include provisionals: Corzine received 16,038 votes in the Silk City, to Republican candidate (now Gov.-elect) Chris Christie's 2,040.

Those numbers almost mirror Corzine's 2005 performance against Mercer buisnessman Doug Forrester: 17,000 to 1,600 votes.

Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh, left, with Council President Jeffrey Jones.

PATERSON - Barack Obama first sprang the "cousin Pookie" line in New Jersey back in 2006, when he was campaigning for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) in Paterson.

"He said to me, 'Vera, we know about cousin Pookie, don't we?' and I told him, 'We sure do," recalled the 4th Ward councilwoman, who's served on the governing body for 24 years in this Passaic County anchor city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans, 25,882 to 2802. 

Now incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine is hoping the campaign efforts of President Barack Obama will amp up his numbers in urban areas like Paterson.

"In a strictly Democratic community like this, many folks will be voting the Democratic line, and they know they have to get out and vote," said Ames. "There is a connection between Corzine and (Mayor Jose "Joey") Torres with the $30 million we get every year from this administration to keep the taxes down. There's a lot of work going on for Corzine. There's very good coordination between the Corzine people and local elected officials. We've been working with them for months. I can't speak for the rest of New Jersey, but I know he's going to take Paterson."

Paterson Council President Jeff Jones, right, and Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh.

WAYNE - A cavalcade of definite and maybe Paterson 2010 mayoral candidates showed up at yesterday's swearing-in ceremony of new Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, including incumbent Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres, Council President Jeffrey Jones, Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh, and at-Large Councilman Rigo Rodriguez.

Of those four men, Torres and Jones are definitely running.

Sayegh appears close to getting in the race, while Rodriguez, who's at-large council seat is up this year, appears least likely to challenge Torres.

"No comment yet," Rodriguez said about next year's already unfolding contest.

Paterson Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres wants a third term in office and believes he can turn back the challenges of Council President Jeffrey Jones and whoever else tries to knock him out next year.

"Obviously, I'm running," Torres told PolitickerNJ.com. "I want to do everything I can to reelect this governor this year, but after November I'll put my own campaign hat back on."

To today's news that Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh is mulling a run for mayor, Torres said, "We live in a democracy and whoever wants to run can run. That is the process.

"The thing about Andre is Andre wants to be president and everyone knows that," the mayor added. "This is about how fast he can climb up the ladder. I don't know the answer to that question. I dont know how fast he can climb. I just hope he doesn't burn himself out, because as you know, this business is beyond telling jokes and kissing babies. Andre - with just a year on the council - is not prepared to be mayor. He's still (wet) behind the ears."

Ward 6 Councilman Andre Sayegh, right, with supporter (Deputy Mayor) Elsa Mantilla during his successful 2008 council race.

Most observers figure the 2010 Paterson mayor's race will feature at least a two-man showdown between incumbent Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres and Council President Jeffrey Jones.

If he decides to run, Torres would be aiming for his third term as mayor. 

An ex-Marine and college professor, Jones has served on the city council since 1996 and announced his 2010 citywide candidacy as early as last year.

Assuming Torres runs, the intriguing question is who will be the third person to step forward to try to mount a credible campaign.

Sixth Ward Councilman Andre Sayegh today told PolitickerNJ.com that he may be the man to find an opening between Torres's Puerto Rican base and Jones's African American base for a play at the affections of the whole city as a new generation unity candidate.

Read PolitickerNJ.com's The Year in Review 2008, our annual lists of Winners & Losers of the Year, Politician of the Year, Best & Worst Campaigns, Best Operatives, People to Watch, and much more.

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Party Chairman John Currie and Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson): Politicker photo 

DENVER - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) romped in Passaic County in the Democratic Primary, essentially blowing up the candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) there with a 59-38% victory.

"He didn’t win a single town in Passaic," said Democratic Party Chairman John Currie, and that includes the county’s biggest city.

"In my ward, he lost handily," recalled Sixth Ward Paterson Councilman Andre Sayegh, a longtime Obama supporter. "A lot of Latinos in my ward told me, ‘We’ll vote for you, but not Obama.’ It wasn’t a landslide, but he lost Paterson, and got trounced in my ward."

Now old school Democrat Currie, a onetime Clinton backer, wants to mobilize his troops behind Obama for the general election, where Democrats number 47,807 to the Republicans 38,662 registered voters.

Ward 6 council candidate Andre Sayegh and supporter Elsa Mantilla 

PATERSON - When Ilia Villanueva nearly brought Councilman Thomas C. Rooney to his knees in their 2004 showdown, losing by just 68 votes to the Ward 6 legend in her second campaign against him, she figured she was in a good position to knock off the 80-year old Irish-American come 2008.

But when Rooney announced his retirement this year and heartily endorsed School Board President Andre Sayegh, the rules changed for Villanueva - even more dramatically when 21st Avenue businessman (and fellow Latino) Eliecar Montoya entered the race.

Paterson’s 6th Ward is home to 72 ethnic groups, but Latinos, Arabs and Middle Easterners and whites make up the bulk of the areas’s dedicated voting block. Montoya’s running a soft campaign. He was a no-show at the city-sponsored debates two weeks ago, and doesn’t have the grassroots support that Villanueva built over 27 years in Paterson.

Andre Sayegh, left, receives the endorsement of retiring Councilman Thomas C. Rooney, for Rooney's 6th Ward seat.

PATERSON - Andre Sayegh, candidate for the Paterson City Council in the 6th Ward, today officially accepted the endorsement of retiring Councilman Thomas C. Rooney, a former Paterson mayor.