Allies of Elizabeth Mayor Christian Bollwage held six ward seats on the city council in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, with six-term incumbent William Gallman Jr. defeating José Rodriguez, the brother of freshman Assemblyman Ed Rodriguez (D-Elizabeth).
Gallman won, 629-520, 54%-36%, against Rodriguez, whose brother is one of Bollwage’s top rivals. GOTV King Brian P. Stack had brought volunteers from Union City to help Gallman.
In the 1st Ward, incumbent Carlos Torres defeated business owner Edwin Falcone, 668-276, a 41-point margin.
But in the 2nd Ward, incumbent Rosea Moreo-Ortega was unseated by school board members Isias Rivera, 371-299. Moreo-Ortega and two other candidates, school board member Jerry Jacobs (227) and Manuel Media (155), a planning board member, ran with the organization slogan. All four candidates were Bollwage allies; Jacobs and Media are expected to seek re-election to the school board this fall.
Incumbents Kevin Kiniery (3rd Ward), Carlos Cedeno (4th Ward), and Frank Mazza (6th Ward) faced no primary opposition.
Elizabeth is a Democratic stronghold that voted for Mikie Sherrill by nearly 50 points.
Republicans are only contesting the 2nd Ward, where Republican Glen Maldonado ran unopposed