Woodcliff Mayor Carlos Rendo, the 2017 Republican nominee for Lt. Governor, is keeping his options open about running for a 39th district Assembly seat if there’s an opening this week.
“I would definitely consider it,” Rendo told the New Jersey Globe on Wednesday.
Rendo’s renewed interest in an Assembly seat – he considered running last year — follows an announcement by Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-River Vale) that she might challenge 12-term State Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Demarest) for the GOP Senate nod.
A poll of likely Republican primary voters conducted by an interested party and obtained by the New Jersey Globe agreed that 83% thought Cardinale, at age 86, should give someone else a chance to hold the Senate seat.
If she runs for the Senate, Schepisi would be forced to give up her Assembly seat.
The February 1 filing deadline is likely to cause potential candidates like Rendo to submit a letter of intent in order to preserve the option of running should Schepisi formally enter the Senate race.
Rendo said he hasn’t taken sides in the Cardinale vs. Schepisi contest, praising the records of both legislators.
Ramsey Mayor Deirdre Dillon today took her name out of contention.
“I have no intention of running for Assembly,” she said. “I support Cardinale, but I don’t do public endorsements.”
Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali declined comment on a possible campaign for Assembly.
Four years ago, Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno picked Rendo as her running mate.