Vainieri emerges as likely candidate for Hudson County Democratic Chairman

Hudson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Anthony P. Vainieri, Jr. is in line to become Democratic County Chairman in June, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Vainieri would replace Amy DeGise, who has held the post since 2018 and would instead will focus on the Jersey City Council at-large seat she won in 2021.

The move to seat Vainieri, who is also the chief of staff to North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, is part of a tentative agreement reached on Wednesday after meetings and conversations with party leaders.  As part of those discussions, Sacco announced that he would not seek re-election to the State Senate seat he’s held for 30 years and endorsed Brian Stack, the mayor of Union City and a state senator who was remapped into the same district.

In May 2023, Sacco will seek re-election as mayor, a post he’s held since 1991.

Moving Vainieri into the chairmanship might set off some protest from Jersey City, who fought to regain the position after Vincent Prieto didn’t seek re-election four years ago.  But some Hudson leaders argue that Jersey City is now expected to pick up the 32nd district Senate seat — Assembly Judiciary Committee Chairman Raj Mukherji emerged as the strong front runner for the upper house just two hours after the new legislative map was approved — and a congressional seat, with Rob Menendez as the leading candidate to replace Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York).

Sacco remains a major force in Hudson County politics.  He’ll have a top lieutenant serving as county chairman going into the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial primary, when Gov. Phil Murphy will be term-limited.

North Bergen Commissioner Julio Marenco is widely expected to move to the State Assembly next year in place of Assemblyman Pedro Mejia (D-Secaucus).  Marenco, the NJ Globe is told, has agreed to run.

Vainieri is the son of former Assemblyman Anthony Vainieri and the brother of former Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood).  He is the former chairman of the North Bergen Zoning Board and the co-owner of the Vainieri Funeral Home.