Jun Choi

Choi is running against the local party organization - but now has the formal backing of Pallone, whose 6th District includes a large chunk of Edison.

As he pursues his reelection campaign without the support of the local Democratic Party, Edison Mayor Jun Choi can at least boast the unbridled backing of 21-year U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), who today enthusiastically endorsed Choi.

“Over the past three years, I’ve seen significant progress in the municipal government of Edison Township,” Pallone said in a statement. “There is a renewed energy, pro-active leadership and great focus on good, efficient and open government ….I can’t say enough positive things about Mayor Choi. I have worked with him on important issues like securing money for the Edison Memorial Tower and the expansion of the parking lot at Edison Train Station. I am convinced Mayor Choi is a leader who gets things accomplished for residents. His common-sense, fiscally responsible and practical approach is exactly what Edison needs.”

Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano

A day after Edison Mayor Jun Choi challenged his opponents to reveal all of the public sector jobs or contracts held by either themselves or their family members, Councilwoman Antonia “Toni” Ricigliano defended her husband’s employment by the town and her daughters’ employment by the school district.

Under the provisions of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) first secured by Mayor George Spadoro in 1995, Ricigliano’s husband has served as Edison’s “Mr. Fix it.”

“He started at $18,000 and he still makes under $25,000 to help make repairs in seniors’ homes,” said Ricigliano, who is generally viewed as Choi’s chief opposition. “He just got a new truck, but for 14 years he drove a truck with no air conditioning and no heat.”

Ricigliano said one of her daughters started work as a teacher in the school system in 1995 – “before I was on the council,” she said. A second daughter started work in the school system as a para-professional. 

Union carpenter William Araujo

EDISON – When a candidate few have heard of suddenly appears in a mayoral race that features two already entrenched sides, an observer’s jaded assessment might be that such a candidate is certainly someone’s stalking horse.

But union carpenter William "Willie" Araujo says he’s just a concerned taxpaying father of two who’s doing what any citizen entrusted with this form of government would do given a chance.

“I’m running because I wanted to make a difference,” said Araujo, who recounted the classic wife and kitchen table type conservation that went, in his words, from small to serious when  he heard the question, “Why don’t you run for mayor?,” and decided it wasn’t a bad idea.

Propelled into the Democratic Primary, “I’m an honest guy,” said the 38-year old mayoral candidate, a Portuguese American who was born and raised in the Down Neck section of Newark and has raised his family in Edison.

Mayor Jun Choi

EDISON – Mayor Jun Choi formally kicked off his reelection campaign on a tele-conference call this afternoon and announced his reform team council slate.

“We will continue to protect the taxpayers of Edison,” said Choi. “We have downsized government by 10% in my three and a half years, but we need to do more.”

The mayor’s running with 120 county committee candidates and two freeholder candidates. The latter are not running an active campaign, said Choi – but are there simply to secure the line for the Choi team. 

Choi’s council candidates are Rachel Callen, 35, a middle school language educator at RPRY Yeshiva School; Meiling Kravarik, 46, president of a local realty company; and retired Union County Prosecutor’s Office Captain Edward Fitzgerald.

Edison Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano

EDISON – Considering his decision not to screen before local pooh-bahs, Mayor Jun Choi absorbed without emotion the news that the Edison Democratic Party endorsed his primary opponent last Thursday.

Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano will run with the support of former state Sen. Thomas Paterniti’s organization, even as the mayor hopes not only to win reelection running as an independent Democrat, but to recast the party with an army of local committee people also positioned on the June ballot.

“We have built an organization of grassroots citizens who are public-minded, said Choi. “There are no offers of jobs or contracts. We use idealism as the primary reason to serve on the committee, and we are setting up an issues-based organization. We are fundamentally changing the culture of politics in Edison, as an overwhelming number of our members are not municipal employees, and we do not accept contributions from municipal employees. Zero.”

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy

TRENTON - Street people help in an election year, and Gov. Jon Corzine may have a few more of them in the form of those in the political establishment arguably most naturally resistant to the Wall Street outsider who leapfrogged over all of them to become governor: mayors.

Ticked last year when Gov. Jon Corzine made substantial cuts to state aid for municipalities, big city and suburban Democratic Party execs warmed to the governor’s plan this year to cut municipal aid by less than 2%, even as he slashed 850 line items to repair a long-term budget gap of $7 billion.

Edison Mayor Jun Choi

****UPDATED 

Mayor Jun Choi once again plans to run against the local machine in the Democratic Primary, as the Edison Democratic Committee will back Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano for mayor in the June Primary, according to veteran Chairman Thomas Paterniti.

Pursuing reelection as mayor of New Jersey’s fifth biggest municipality, Choi did not submit his name to screen before the organization on Friday, which was the deadline - but sources close to the mayor say he has every intention of running with his party in this mostly Democratic town.

An early supporter of Barack Obama’s in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, Choi went to Washington, D.C. as recently as last month to attend a meeting of the nation’s mayors with the new president. 

Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan could move up to the State Senate, if Gov. Jon Corzine picks Barbara Buono as Lt. Governor.

If Barbara Buono were to win election as Lt. Governor, it would mean a January 2010 special election convention to fill her State Senate seat.  Democrats say the leading candidate would be four-term Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield).  If he wins re-election, Edison Mayor Jun Choi could also emerge as a Senate candidate, although he would have a tough time in an election where the voters are Democratic County Committee members.  Assemblyman Peter Barnes (D-Edison) is also a potential Senate candidate.

Councilman Tony Massaro

EDISON – Beaten by Jun Choi in 2005, two long-warring factions in town– old school Democrats and the People’s Choice Party – decided to get together to take down the incumbent mayor this year. 

First they wanted to determine which of two candidates - Councilman Tony Massaro, an establishment Democrat, or Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano of the People’s Choice – would be the stronger candidate.

Apparently surprising Massaro, Ricigliano jumped out and declared her candidacy last month.

Now the councilman plans to endorse her at an Edison Democratic Party meeting tomorrow evening at the Pines, officially aligning onetime antagonists whom Choi’s shoe leather reform school organizing has driven into the same camp.