Woodcliff Lake mayor Carlos Rendo says he is still considering a bid for the State Assembly in the 39th district and would not preclude challenging incumbent Bob Auth (R-Old Tappan) in the Republican primary.
Rendo said that he has received considerable encouragement from GOP leaders and that Auth’s decision to drop his congressional bid doesn’t necessarily preclude him from pursuing a campaign for the legislature.
“I’m still looking at it. I still haven’t spoken to Bob,” Rendo told the New Jersey Globe in a telephone interview. “The ball is still rolling.”
Rendo, the 2017 Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, announced that he was exploring a run for the Assembly just days after Auth entered the race to challenge Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) two weeks ago.
Auth said today that he would not run for Congress and would be a candidate for re-election to a fourth term in the State Assembly.
Rendo was re-elected mayor in 2019, defeating council president Jacqueline Gradeleta with 56% of the vote.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno and Rendo carried the 39th district by 2,341 votes in 2017 against Democrats Phil Murphy and Sheila Oliver.