Mark Smith

Judge Patrick Conaghan with Bayonne voters Terrance and Laura McLaughlin: Politicker photo 

BAYONNE - In a tie decorated with the faces of American politicians, mayoral candidate Pat Conaghan, lawyer, retired municipal judge, walks up the street in Bayonne’s third ward.

With him walks Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone, campaign manager Denis F. Wilbeck and other allies lugging yellow campaign signs, intent on electing Conaghan in a Nov. 4th special election.

Conaghan’s going against Deputy Police Chief Mark Smith.

"He seems like an energetic guy," Conaghan says of his opponent, "but he’s a cop. I’ve been on the Board of Directors of two banks, and spent 40 years as a practicing attorney. The most significant thing the next mayor is going to have to do is to wrestle with serious financial issues."

The Conaghan forces contend that former Mayor Joseph Doria blew it on the redevelopment of Bayonne’s Military Ocean Terminal. It should have been a job creator, not a mixed use plan with an emphasis on residential development.

Now Doria’s gone, the town faces a $22 million deficit, and there’s little way to muster property taxes.

"We need some good industry to bring in jobs," says John Budnick, who peddles his bicycle among the Conaghan forces.

BAYONNE - Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Bayonne) criticized Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone: Politicker photothe chairman of the Democratic Party here for failing to display campaign signs for presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, which the chair claims is a ludicrous charge.

"They’ve got signs up on Democratic Party headquarters for (mayoral candidate) Mark Smith and (freeholder) Doreen DiDomenico, but nothing for Obama," complained Chiappone.

In this blue collar maritime stronghold at the southern end of Hudson County, Chiappone backs former municipal judge Pat Conaghan in the Nov. 4 mayor’s race against Smith.Chairman O'Donnell: Politicker photo

The party chairman supports Smith.

While he was a primary election supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY), Party Chair Jason O’Donnell strongly objected to Chiappone’s suggestion that he’s downplaying the Illinois senator because he fears voter blowback in the Bayonne mayor’s contest.

"For two consecutive days I have met with Tracy Johnson, Hudson County coordinator for Obama, and they don’t have the signs yet," said O’Donnell.

From left: Leo Smith, operative Michael Embrich, and mayoral candidate Mark Smith: Politicker photo 

BAYONNE - The rain crashes onto the street and Mark Smith, deputy chief and candidate for mayor, welcomes the downpour with open arms.

"I love it," he says, on the tail end of his door-pounding tour of the First Ward.

In this neighborhood just north of the Kill Van Kull, Smith and his team have walked several square blocks once populated by some of Bayonne’s political legends, including former Mayor Dennis Collins and former U.S. Rep. Cornelius Gallagher.

A 27-year veteran of the Bayonne Police Department and family man, Smith now wants to be the man in his Nov. 4 special mayoral election showdown with former municipal judge Pat Conaghan.

Acting Police Director Mark Smith makes his announcement today in Bayonne County Park 

BAYONNE - Good feeling in Bayonne County Park for a vibrant native son who wants to be mayor, belied the fact that they’re gearing up for political war here in this fiscally troubled city.

A hero cop who followed his father into police work and served 25 years on the force, acting Police Director Mark Smith announced his candidacy today, surrounded by family and Hudson County Democratic Organization diehards.

Bayonne mayoral candidate Patrick Conaghan, flanked by councilmen Gary La Pelusa, left, and Anthony Chiappone. 

BAYONNE - Now that retired municipal judge Patrick Conaghan has lunged out of the gate as the first candidate to officially run for mayor in November’s special election, he means to keep an aggressive public schedule.

Both on the trail, and if elected.

"It’s a full-time job," said the 70-year old, lifelong Bayonne resident, referring to the office of mayor. "That was the problem with Mayor Joe Doria. He was in Trenton two days a week, and the inmates were running the asylum."