Incumbent Theresa Castellano, who was elected to the council in 1995, was disappointed by her loss, after what was the most nerve-wrecking race in the Hoboken council election on Tuesday night.
HOBOKEN -- Incumbent Theresa Castellano was elected to the council in 1995, and spent five terms on the council. She was understandably disappointed after learning she had lost a bid for a sixth term, after what was the most nerve-wrecking race in the Hoboken council election on Tuesday night.
"I was elected five times. It's tough getting elected a sixth time. I feel really humbled," she said after hearing the news surrounded by her saddened supporters at 505 Madison Street's West Five Supper Club. "I don't know any other life, really (than the public sector). I've been on boards really, probably all my adult life. I'm always drawn to public service. We'll see what the future is."
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At one point in thenight, Castellano learned that she was up by 12 votes. But then the mail-in ballots were counted, and she ultimately lost to her opponent Michael DeFusco, a zoning board commissioner for five years. Based on the unofficial tally, which does not include provisional ballots, she lost the First Ward with 633 votes to DeFusco's 850.
Castellano pointed out that her council run was a record for a female in Hoboken, and that she had a boutique on Washington Street to keep her busy. She didn't rule out another run.
Among Castellano's teammates, only former N.J. Assemblyman Ruben Ramos won his battle. After learning he was the new Fourth Ward councilman, but most of his teammates had lost, he thanked his supporters and declared that he would do his best to meet the public's needs.
"I have the best interests of the entire community at heart," he said.
Ramos celebrated earlier in the evening, before Castellano's loss was announced but after his other teammates received their bad news, with his family and exuberant supporters. He posed for selfies and offering hugs at the West Five Supper Club after he received word of his win from the challengers at the polls around 8:45 p.m. Ramos's unopposed teammate, Third Ward candidate Mike Russo, took 652 votes.
Ramos's two Fourth Ward opponents were incumbent Timothy Occhipinti, who was elected to the council in 2010, and Dana Wefer, the current chair of the Hoboken Housing Authority. They received a respective 267 and 364 votes.
"I'm proud to have improved the quality of life for Fourth Ward residents over the last five years. The Ward is a better place today than it was five years ago," Occhipinti said after the results came in. "I wish all the best to the Councilman Elect Ramos."
"I'm not ruling anything out," Wefer said, when asked about a future run. "I can't help but be active in my community. It's like a compulsion. I love Hoboken... I'd like to start a (Democratic) social club, where we can go and watch debates together."
In the second ward, where there were no incumbents, Zoning Board member Tiffanie Fisher won with 739 votes. Her opponents, Peter Biancamano, a two-term elected school board trustee, and Bonnie Murray, an independent concerned citizen, received a respective 528 and 147 votes.
"I'm 29 years old. I've won a lot more elections than I've lost," said Biancamano, who would have had to resign from the school board if he'd won but now will have two more years in his school board seat. "I'm very, very proud of the campaign we ran. We ran a 100 percent positive campaign. I'm really looking forward to working with the new council and the mayor."
"I congratulate my opponents and will continue to provide an independent voice for Hoboken's Second Ward," Murray said.
In the fifth ward, incumbent candidate Peter Cunningham, who was elected to the council seven years ago, won with 817 votes, compared to the 409 votes received by his opponent Eduardo Gonzalez, the board president at Elysian Charter School.
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In the sixth ward, incumbent Jen Giattino, who was elected to the council three years ago, won facing off with N.J. Assemblyman Carmelo Garcia. Giattino received 677 votes, compared to Garcia's 458.
"It was a hard-fought campaign, as I left everything on the field," Garcia said. "We weren't afraid to take on the Zimmer machine. There is a greater purpose from this experience that excites me. I will remain vigilant and an advocate for the people."
Cunningham, DeFusco, Fisher, Giattino, and Gonzalez have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Russo said he was proud of his teammates, Castellano, Ramos, Gonzalez, and Biancamano, and thankful for the votes he received and ready to work with the council members who weren't on his campaign team.
"It was fun, it was a good night for me here," he said, noting that he is now the veteran council member. "I thought it was fortunate that we got Councilman Ramos elected. I thought it was unfortunate that we lost some of the other seats, but that's politics."
Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.