MAYOR MAY NOT?: Reports Indicate Zimmer to Withdraw From Hoboken Race; Press Conference Tuesday Morning

We typically don’t like to report scuttlebutt, but…

Multiple sources have themselves posted unofficial reports that Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer will not seek re-election this November:

Sources: Zimmer won’t seek 3rd term in #Hoboken mayoral race: https://t.co/CU1xtVEg0x @hMAG @TotallyHoboken

— Hudson County View (@HudsonCoView) June 20, 2017

Voyage of the Dawn Treader: Zimmer Will Not Run for Hoboken Mayor Again – https://t.co/uOfIO8yncr

— Insider NJ (@INSIDER__NJ) June 20, 2017

Hudson County View reports Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer will not seek re-election, despite having the backing of Union City Mayor/NJ State Senator Brian Stack (D-33) and recently co-hosting a fundraiser with gubernatorial frontrunner, Democrat Phil Murphy.

InsiderNJ.com speculates that the Mayor is lining up for rather significant role in the Murphy campaign—possibly even a Lieutenant Governor nod.

hMAG has been informed that there is a press conference scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

Zimmer and Murphy’s Republican opponent, current Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, have a bit of a history. Zimmer has accused Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno of threatening to withhold funds for Sandy relief unless favors were granted to the Christie administration.

In May of 2015, a letter forwarded directly to hMAG by Lt. Governor Guadagno‘s counsel clearly stated that Mayor Zimmer’s claims against the Christie administration will see “no further action” by the Department of Justice. However, the very public rift between the Mayor and Lt. Governor has never quite healed.

Meanwhile, Hoboken’s Mayoral race will continue to ratchet up quite a few notches, as InsiderNJ.com has seemingly confirmed from the Councilman himself that Ravi Bhalla will be running for Mayor with Zimmer’s endorsement.

With Councilman Michael DeFusco, businesswoman Karen Nason and activist Ronald Bautista already in the race, it should be pretty gritty from here on out—grittier still if Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Romano (District 5) enters the race, as he has indicated to several outlets (including hMAG) that he might.

Currently no word on whether or not the Hoboken Trader Joe’s will be running a special on popcorn this election season. But rest assured, things will get salty.