36-year-old Fil-Am elected as Jersey City mayor

Exclusive to the Filipino Reporter, a content partner of GMA News Online

 

JERSEY CITY — The people of this city, which include a large number of Filipino-Americans, have spoken.

 

They elected the popular 36-year-old Steven Fulop as their new mayor.

 

Fulop replaces Mayor Jerramiah Healy who has served as head of the city for nine years.

 

Fulop received 52.8 percent of the votes cast, thus preventing a second balloting or run off.

 

He won by over 5,700 votes over Healy, who received 37.7 percent of the votes, which prompted Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise to declare that Fulop has a “mandate.”

 

The fate of re-electionist Fil Am Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, Jr., second placer among the top three finishers for council-at-large post, will be decided in a run off next month.

 

None of the eight candidates for at-large position obtained over 50% of the votes cast as required under the city’s election laws.

 

In his victory speech, Mayor-elect Fulop said, “Those of you who put your faith in us today, we will make you proud every single day...Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

 

Lavarro also thanked those who supported and helped him and his teammates, including members of the city’s big Filipino community.

 

He asked for similar support during the run off on June 11, 2013.

 

A number of jubilant Filipino supporters of Team Fulop were sighted at the victory celebration on election night held in a downtown city restaurant.

 

The large Filipino community in this city, like in previous elections when they collectively supported a candidate, trooped to the polls in support of Team Fulop, where Lavarro ran for an at-large position.

 

“I have yet to meet a Filipino who did not vote for Team Fulop,” said Ricky Rivera, who lives in the Heights section of the city and was among those who celebrated the Fulop victory at Zeppelin House in the downtown area.

 

“Our hard work paid off throughout the campaign. I was one of the Filipinos who started helping Lavarro and his Team Fulop starting at 5:30 a.m. on Election Day,” said Helen Castillo, another ardent Team Fulop supporter.

 

Meanwhile, Lavarro has started calling again on Jersey City voters to vote for him and his teammates Joyce Watterman and Daniel Rivera of Team Fulop on the June 11 run off.

 

In a statement he posted in Facebook called “Filipinos for Lavarro and Team Fulop,” Lavarro said, “Congratulations to Mayor-elect Steve Fulop and new Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne. Well-deserved victories for Team Fulop and for the people of Jersey City, but the fight is not over. The rest of the council slate are headed to a run off on June 11. We have to continue working and ensure the entire slate is elected as we have a vision of Jersey City like no other. MARK YOUR CALENDARS. JUNE 11!” - Filipino Reporter