On Tuesday night, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis defeated current Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari in the Democratic primary election. Davis received 53% of the vote, totaling 32,588 votes, while Schillari received 45%, or 28,093 votes, though the results have not yet been certified. With Hudson County having a large Democratic majority among registered voters, Davis is expected to win the general election in November. The Republican nominee for sheriff is Elvis Alvarez, who received 7,288 votes in the primary.
Frank Schillari is a resident of Secaucus and has served as Hudson County Sheriff since 2010. He is 78 years old and was elected to the office after over a decade as county undersheriff. In 2010, he defeated then-incumbent Juan Perez, who had lost the confidence of the Hudson County Democratic machine. Schillari had remained in office for 15 years, winning re-election through the support of the Democratic organization until this year.
- Jimmy Davis beat Frank Schillari in the Democratic primary for Hudson County Sheriff, winning 32,588 votes to Schillari’s 28,093.
- Schillari’s loss ended his 15-year run as sheriff and marked a major defeat for Steven Fulop’s “Democrats for Change” slate.
- Schillari’s campaign attacked Davis over past harassment claims, but Davis was cleared in court and the main $500,000 verdict was vacated.
Support and Endorsements Divide the Democratic Party
Jimmy Davis, who has served as mayor of Bayonne since 2014, was backed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO). The HCDO also supported Mikie Sherrill in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Davis’s backing came from leading county Democrats, including County Executive Craig Guy, Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack, and West New York Mayor Albio Sires.
Frank Schillari was aligned with a newly formed group called “Democrats for Change,” which also supported Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. Fulop had a falling out with the HCDO and ran an unsuccessful campaign for governor, losing the primary to Mikie Sherrill. In addition to Fulop and Schillari, North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco also supported the Democrats for Change slate. Both Fulop and Schillari were defeated on Tuesday.
Jimmy Davis, age 62, has a background in law enforcement, having worked as a Bayonne police officer and a detective with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office prior to becoming mayor. The HCDO’s support for Davis represented its effort to replace Schillari amid internal Democratic disputes.
Negative Campaign Tactics and Scandal Accusations
The campaign between Davis and Schillari became increasingly bitter. In the final days leading up to the primary, Schillari’s campaign sent robotext messages to Hudson County residents accusing Davis of inappropriate treatment of women. The messages referenced a 2019 lawsuit brought by a former Bayonne city employee. In May 2024, the city of Bayonne settled the lawsuit for $500,000. The woman alleged that Bayonne City Hall fostered “a sexually charged hostile work environment and a culture of sex within the workplace.”
One mailer from Schillari’s campaign referenced past allegations of sexting involving Davis and stated that sexual harassment lawsuits had cost Bayonne “millions of dollars.” In a statement made to the New Jersey Globe, Sheriff Schillari said he had not reviewed the campaign materials and could not comment on them without research. He stated, “I see so many ads. I’ll have to ask my media people.”
Davis was removed as a defendant in the sexual harassment lawsuits. One case involved allegations that occurred before Davis became mayor. A judge recently vacated the $500,000 jury verdict awarded in the 2019 case. The lawsuits had also been publicized in previous election cycles in 2018 and 2022.
Storm Wyche, Executive Director of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, stated that the attacks on Davis were recycled and discredited. He accused Schillari and his campaign of misleading the public. Paul Swibinski, Schillari’s campaign spokesperson, defended the campaign’s messages and repeated the claim that “Jimmy Davis is a creep.” Swibinski had previously worked against Davis in 2014 but later worked for him in 2018 and 2022.
Jimmy Davis invited Schillari to participate in a debate twice during the campaign, but Schillari declined both invitations. After Schillari refused to debate, a person in a chicken suit appeared at one of his fundraisers.
Broader Primary Results Across Hudson County
In the 32nd Legislative District, independent candidates Katie Brennan and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla defeated HCDO-endorsed candidates Crystal Fonseca and Jennie Pu in the Democratic primary for two Assembly seats. Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez, who had previously won with HCDO backing, also lost her seat.
In the 31st District, HCDO-supported County Commissioner Jerry Walker won the Democratic primary for Assembly. Barbara McCann Stamato led the vote count over incumbent William Sampson and Jacqueline Weimmer. Sampson had been backed by the HCDO.
At a campaign celebration, Jerry Walker commented on Steven Fulop’s defeat by saying, “Steven Fulop, you lost.” Brennan and Bhalla celebrated their own victory at Ed & Mary’s in Jersey City’s Hamilton Park neighborhood. Bhalla stated that party bosses would no longer pick representatives.
Races for these legislative seats were affected by the recent removal of the “county line,” a ballot structure that previously gave HCDO-endorsed candidates a formal advantage.
Fulop’s Defeat in the Gubernatorial Race
Steven Fulop, who governed as a centrist while serving as mayor of Jersey City, attempted to rebrand himself as a progressive during his gubernatorial campaign. He began his campaign in April 2023 and recruited 37 candidates to run for Assembly under his Democrats for Change slate. Despite endorsements from groups like the Philadelphia Inquirer and strong showings in progressive communities such as Maplewood and South Orange, Fulop was defeated.
In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Fulop received 16% of the vote, whereas Mikie Sherrill received 34%. Ras Baraka placed second with 20%. Other candidates included Rep. Josh Gottheimer (12%), Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller (10%), and former State Senate President Steve Sweeney (7%).
In Jersey City, Fulop received only 38% of the Democratic vote. Ras Baraka received 32% in the same area.
