Paul Aronsohn

RIDGEWOOD - Anne Zusy recently registered as a Democrat to vote for Barack Obama. Paul Aronsohn likes Hillary Clinton. And Keith Killion, who’s registered as a Republican, is a John McCain supporter.

But the three stood outside of a post office in Ridgewood today to run as a team for three council seats, saying that the village needs new blood in its government. The fact that the three of them could run together, they say, is evidence how seriously this traditionally Republican town takes its non-partisan elections.

Their opponents are incumbent council members Betty Wiest, the town’s Deputy Mayor, and Jacques Harlow. Wiest spent most of the day at home calling supporters to get them out to the polls, while Harlow competed in a senior citizens’ tennis tournament, which he said would help take his mind off of the election.

A robocall in Ridgewood caused a stir in the village’s municipal elections this week, with all of the candidates it supported disowning it.

The call, made by the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) on Sunday, voiced support for council incumbents Betty Wiest, Jacques Harlow and new council candidate Keith Killion.

According to Killion’s campaign manager, Ron Verdicchio, the call sounded “as if Keith Killion was running with and endorsing Jacque Harlow and Betty Wiest.” Killion, the town’s second-in-command policeman, is actually endorsing two other non-incumbent candidates: Paul Aronsohn and Anne Zusy.

Ridgewood Mayor David Pfund isn’t up for reelection tomorrow, but he may not keep the mayoral seat much longer.

The town’s five member council, governed under the Faulkner Act, chooses one of its own every two years to become mayor.  Pfund has been mayor for four years, and his council seat is not up for reelection until 2010.  But with five candidates vying for three seats on the body in tomorrow’s election, Pfund may either step down and allow someone else to take the helm.  Or he could try to hold on for reelection at the council’s July 1st reorganization meeting. 

As of right now, Pfund isn’t letting on what he’s going to do, though some local insiders have suggested that he's getting ready to step down. 

“The focus right now is on the municipal election, and afterwards we’ll have a closed-session meeting and we’ll discuss all these issues to move forward in the next term,” said Pfund. 

Running off the line, attorney Camille Abate won 40% in the 2006 Democratic congressional primary

At a breakfast hosted by the Democratic State Committee today, congressional candidate Camille Abate mentioned to Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean that she is running for Congress against Scott Garrett.

“He’s the worst,” said Dean.

But despite Dean’s personal opinion, national Democrats apparently don’t think enough of it to pump many resources into a fight against him. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that they have three targets in 2008, and Garrett isn’t one of them.

A reluctant Paul Aronsohn announced in an email yesterday that he will not seek a rematch against Scott Garrett in 2008.

Citing financial obstacles and time constraints, Aronsohn said that, while he would love to run again, he does not have the time or money to wage an aggressive campaign against Garrett.

“Simply stated, I want to run again. I feel that I should run again. But, unfortunately, I cannot afford to run again.”

Democrat Camille Abate will announce next month that she will enter the race to challenge GOP Rep. Scott Garrett in 2008.  The Glen Rock attorney ran for Congress last year, and won 34% in her primary challenge to the organization candidate, Paul Stuart Aronsohn – despite her late entrance and being significantly outspent.