Reprinted from May 6, 2008

BELLEVILLE - All over town, the headquarters of candidates are shuttered on a Monday afternoon, with the exception of Paul "P.J." Mac Donald’s campaign digs on Washington Avenue.

The mood is grimly combative in this roomful of politicians and former cops as Mac Donald recounts what led him to this point, eight days before the May 13 election.  

"There was an empty seat and some friends asked me if I’d be interested in running," he says. "I went down to the mayor’s office and sought his support. I called every public official and every one of them gave me his blessing. 

"Then I called Caputo." 

He remembers informing Assemblyman/Freeholder Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) of his intentions to run for council and how Caputo told him, "good, you deserve it."  

The retired correction’s officer grits his teeth, shifts in his chair.   

P.J. Mac Donald 

Belleville - Paul Mac Donald defeated Elvin Pereira in the 3rd Ward, 485 to 415 votes, according to the Essex County Clerk's Office.

Paul "P.J." Mac Donald and the Lise girls on Election Day 

BELLEVILLE - This town’s toughest race - for an empty seat in the Third Ward - turned tougher today as state troopers finally told overzealous supporters of P.J. Mac Donald and Elvin Pereira to stay away from the polling places.

"I really wish it wouldn’t have gone this way, but I’m afraid it has," said Mac Donald, sitting on Washington Avenue in a van owned by the Teamsters, who have given their support to the retired Essex County corrections officer.

Pereira, a homeowner in Belleville for a year, figures he can win if lifelong resident Mac Donald’s bread and butter senior voter turnout stays low. In the middle of the afternoon, Pereira said morning voter numbers showed his campaign on target.

Ward Three Council candidate Paul "P.J." Mac Donald, right, with his ally, Belleville Mayor Ray Kimble. 

BELLEVILLE - All over town, the headquarters of candidates are shuttered on a Monday afternoon, with the exception of Paul "P.J." Mac Donald’s campaign digs on Washington Avenue.

The mood is grimly combative in this roomful of politicians and former cops as Mac Donald recounts what led him to this point, eight days before the May 13 election.

"There was an empty seat and some friends asked me if I’d be interested in running," he says. "I went down to the mayor’s office and sought his support. I called every public official and every one of them gave me his blessing.

"Then I called Caputo."

Its geography just above Newark's North Ward makes Belleville look like a natural complement to the political kingdom of Steve Adubato, who nevertheless denies he's personally backing anyone in nonpartisan municipal races in this hardscrabble town, with a population that hovers around 34,000.

"Belleville's always worried about me going over there," said the North Ward Democratic leader. "I was looking for a place for a charter school once. I went over to Belleville. That would have been great for Belleville, but they weren't interested."

The specter of Adubato in Belleville's May 13th elections comes in part as a result of Assemblyman (and Freeholder) Ralph Caputo's support of three candidates who have teamed up to try to unseat Mayor Ray Kimble's slate. Adubato and Caputo go way back, to when the latter lived in Newark before moving to Belleville. And, of course, it was Caputo who was part of the district 28 ticket that last year ousted Sen. Ron Rice's running mates, Oadline Truitt and Craig Stanley.

"Change is in the air," mused the new assemblyman, consciously invoking the clear-the-decks campaign slogan currently most associated with presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.