Backlash: "Reform Resistance" Resistance

GA didn't see this coming. After reading the Dan Bryan piece...

Two Hoboken residents contacted me yesterday about running against incumbent Council members in their wards. Neither are from 2nd ward; both are highly motivated.

GA cannot tell you folks how unusual this is. Historically, it's been a real challenge for Reform to find candidates. An election requires time, money, cooperation from one's employer,  and it comes with media attention. That is quite a hurdle for many. So, to have folks showing interest and this early is extraordinary.

What's behind it? 

Well, an energized electorate all over America has seen record numbers of political newbies - including ethnic, racial and religious minorities running for office and winning.  Is this what's happening in Hoboken?

Maybe. GA believes that the national mood (sour) and the rise of the grassroots at the state and national levels has a trickle-down effect locally.  How can it not?  But, observation tells me there's more to it than that.  

The temperature in our room is frosty. 

On one side: we've heard a lot from Tiffanie Fisher, seen enough from Jen Giattino, and know the "resistance" has found it's own corner to pout in cyberspace.  That camp has been (and continues to be) vocal about their feelings of victimization, and hostile to Bhalla on social media, spinning every decision he is making in the worst possible way, morphing him into a pro-development NJ Tower-building villain.  In other words, WAAAAAAH. 

What's happening on the Bhalla side of the room?  

Well, there's a quiet anger felt by many in this Reform majority.   

Supporters of Mayor-elect Bhalla see an intelligent, reserved man who is loyal to completing Zimmer-administration projects like Rebuild-by-Design and parks for flood water retention, defending the rights of Hoboken residents under assault by the Tangerine Caligula. And he is humble; Bhalla was the only top-tier candidate who never publicly said, "I'm going to win."  He wouldn't say it privately, either. That is who he is.  He is not a big mouth, nor a grandstander, nor a complainer- he is all about work.  

And this group has watched Bhalla's reaction to the blows coming in from other camps.   

When word got back to Ravi and his wife, Bindya, about a whisper campaign that he was "not -electable" and "Hoboken is not ready for a mayor in a turban" from Reformers- I can name names, but I won't, let's just say I will never look at some people the same way.  what did the Bhallas do?  

Did they whine on social media about how "nasty" their opponents were?   

No. They worked harder.  

That whisper campaign energized volunteers- Bhalla never paid a single day-shift person to knock on doors. The weekend before election day, the campaign knocked on 10,000 doors.  

One incident that clarified the difference between two Reform candidates for many, was when the "Reform resistance" attacked Mayor Zimmer at the City Council as corrupt and dishonest over the SUEZ renegotiated contract. For those just  half-paying attention, this election-time betrayal of an administration whom the "Resistance" had worked so effectively with- for years- crystallized the "Reform Resistance" as anti-Zimmer and motivated by personal animus.    

So then, specifically why are Hoboken residents eager to challenge Council incumbents?  

GA suggests it's:

(1) Anger at the betrayal of the Reform mayor, anger at the gamble of losing City Hall to the Dark Side, anger at the post-election petulance on display in an anti-Bhalla "resistance" planning to merge with the Dark Side's Ruben Ramos, the "Resistance" whisper campaign by elected "resistance"officials that "Bhalla did it [the "Terrorism Flyer"]... he won because of a "sympathy vote." 

(2) Belief in the path set by the Zimmer administration, belief in Bhalla's good faith promises to continue her projects, advance the proposals he campaigned on,  keep government clean, transparent and to have an inclusive administration.  

(3) Fear that officials who govern in bad faith, to settle scores, should not have their hands on Hoboken's levers of power. 

Like Bhalla, the "resistance" appears to have inspired and motivated Hoboken residents to action.  

If you don't like what you see in your government, then do something about it.  

Change it. 

It looks like some folks are planning to.