Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes endorsed Gordon Johnson for the open State Senate seat in the 37th district, providing a major boost to the assemblyman’s bid to succeed Loretta Weinberg in the upper house.
Johnson faces his running mate, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, in the race for the Senate seat Weinberg said he would vacate at the end of her current term. Both legislators are from Englewood, which makes the Wildes endorsement important.
“Gordon is a longtime friend and we’ve always been able to work together for the public good,” Wildes said. “He knows our community intimately and cares deeply for the people here.”
If he wins, Johnson will become the first Black senator from Bergen County, a point that Wildes highlighted in his speech on Martin Luther King Day.
“Today we face so many challenging issues relating to equality. The racial hostility that exists in this country is at a dangerous level,” Wildes said. “How fitting on this special day that we can make history in Bergen County by starting the process to elect Gordon Johnson the first African American Senator to serve the 37th district and the County of Bergen.”
Wildes said that he “cannot think of anyone more appropriate for these times and for this position than Gordon.”
“I know that he will be an outstanding senator and I call on all my fellow Democratic elected officials and party leaders to join me in supporting Gordon Johnson to be our next Senator,” said Wildes. “I have always believed and often stated that public service is a public trust and seek every day to embody that in my words and actions. Today I am placing my trust in Gordon Johnson, and I hope you will all join me in supporting him as our next State Senator. This is his time.”
Wildes pointed to Johnson’s service as an Englewood police officer, Army veteran and acting Bergen County Sheriff.
“In each of these capacities he has demonstrated compassion and great leadership skills,” Wildes said. “It is only fitting that we stand on the steps of the Englewood City Hall where he started his career of public service to make this announcement.”
The mayor praised Johnson’s legislative record since election to the State Assembly in 2001.
“His background and service have led to advancements in law and public safety, veterans’ affairs, advancing protections and better benefits for senior citizens and those less fortunate,” Wildes said. “He has also championed rent protection, economic expansion and job creation, public transportation safety, and an issue particularly dear to me, the DREAM Act, expanding access to higher education for students without discrimination based on residency status.”
Wildes had been mayor for six years before stepping down in 2010. When he sought to return to his old post in 2018, Johnson endorsed him.
Vainieri Huttle’s husband, Frank, was retiring as mayor and Englewood Democrats had back Huttle’s pick, Phil Meissner, for the Democratic mayoral nomination. Wildes ran off the line and beat Meissner by a 2-1 margin.
Wildes later won control of the local Democratic county committee, knocking Meissner out as municipal chairman.
While the Johnson vs. Vainieri Huttle fight could go all the way to the June primary, it’s more likely to be settled at the Democratic county convention in March.
“I intend to work hard for the people of the 37th district and the people of the State of New Jersey,” Johnson said.
Johnson said that his campaign treasurer will be Doug Bern, a former Bergen County Freeholder from Englewood.
In his statement, Wildes praised Weinberg, the Senate Majority Leader, who is retiring from elective office after 31 years as a legislator and Teaneck councilwoman.
“Senator Weinberg has been a tireless advocate for our residents: fighting for transparency in our government, advancing equality for all, and always looking to hold both the public and private sectors accountable,” he stated. “She is truly a legend in the field, and we all owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude.”
Johnson said that Weinberg has been his political mentor for 20 years.
Johnson, the Assembly Speaker Pro-Tempore, and Vainieri Huttle, the chair of the Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee, both entered the race shortly after Weinberg announced she would not seek a sixth term in the Senate.
In his statement, Wildes pointed out the importance of a comeback from the “huge toll on our citizens” that the coronavirus has taken.
“In times like these, we need leaders who we can rely on to stand up, speak out and fight for our community,” the mayor said. “We need elected officials that possess compassion, humility and a true desire for public service. Recognizing that our state government is responsible for so many critical issues such as education, criminal justice reform, economic revival, and more, we need strong visionary leaders who will provide tireless service to our residents.”
This story was updated at 11:58 AM.
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