GOP challengers acting like incumbents, are they taking the fall election for granted?
With the election of Republican Dan Pronti as mayor in an abbreviated campaign that lasted just days, it seems the local GOP feels they have effectively eliminated North Arlington Democrats from the political equation.
While Democrats expressed deep deference and respect to the late Joe Bianchi, Pronti and his allies moved quickly to fill the ballot vacancy and lay claim to the accomplishments and legacy of the late Mayor who was loved by North Arlington residents of all political persuasions.
Democratic mayoral nominee Mark Yampaglia suspended his campaign and stayed completely positive with a real platform of change that seemed too little, and too late.
Nevertheless voters elected Pronti in a four-way race that included two independents.
Receiving just 52% of the vote last fall, Pronti has tried to consolidate control of both the local government and his political party’s leadership all at the same time.
This year local Republicans are running two candidates that have never sought public office before and another who ironically was defeated by Yampaglia in 2011.
Yampaglia will be joined by two popular residents seeking public office for the first time with roots in the recreation community and have the clear support of Bergen County Freeholder Steve Tanelli, arguably the most talented and popular North Arlington political figure since the days of former mayor and freeholder Len Kaiser, who served as the borough’s chief executive from 1983-2003 as NA’s longest serving mayor.
Tanelli, who was elected in 2004 to an unexpired council term was reelected in 2005, 2008, 2011 with Yampaglia as his running-mate. In 2012 he was tapped to run for freeholder and was reelected in 2015 and again in 2018.
He’s undefeated in seven attempts for public office and the first North Arlington Democrat to serve in county government. He joins Kaiser, William McDowell (freeholder, sheriff and county executive) and Alexander Allan (clerk) as the only North Arlington residents to serve Bergen County. In fact North Arlington has had more elected officials in county government in the modern era than any of the county’s seventy municipalities.
Ironically Tanelli was replaced on the Borough Council by Pronti, who was reelected in 2014, 2017 and elected to succeed Allison Sheedy who served as acting mayor in wake of Bianchi’s passing in October of 2018.
Pronti has been mayor since January.
“If one reviews Social Media, the two GOP challengers are acting as if they’ve already assumed office. They seem to act as if there is no election, but rather an anointment of sorts to the governing body,” observed one longtime political observer of borough politics and government.
Currently there are two Democrats and four Republicans with Pronti presiding as mayor. There are three seats up for grabs with two currently occupied by Democrats and one by an appointed Republican.
A Democratic sweep would create an evenly divided council of three Republicans and three Democrats with Pronti casting the tie-breaking vote.
A Republican win would give local Republicans complete control of all seven seats and eliminate responsible two-party government.
“The last thing NA needs is a political monopoly by a single party controlled by one individual. It would be counterproductive to a sober discussion of the issues in which all segments of the community would be represented by the Mayor and Council.”
“Given the recent pay raise fiasco, the attempt to have Democrats removed from the ballot by a sitting GOP incumbent and the overall display of over confidence and taking this election for granted, North Arlington needs Democrats on that governing body to ensure a balance continues and that a large segment of NA residents not be shutout of the political process.”