Venezia, Mollica to Face Off in Bloomfield Mayor's Race

According to results reported by the Bloomfield Clerk’s office, Councilman Michael Venezia and Republican Russell Mollica will be facing off in the Mayor’s race in November.

The clerk’s office reported Venezia garnered 1246 votes in Tuesday’s while Mollica received 615 votes, besting fellow Republican Richard Galioto who had 107.

Mollica owns a small-business in Bloomfield and unsuccessfully challenged Ronald Rice in the 2011 election for New Jersey Senate District 28. He has acted as a taxpayer advocate and has voiced strong opposition to Bloomfield redevelopment projects.

Venezia’s electoral slate of candidates for council at large seats outpaced other candidates by wide margins. Wartyna "Nina" Davis pulled in 1073 votes, Joe Lopez drew 1085 and Carlos Pomares had 1052.

Lopez, an Essex County employee, was recently the president of Bloomfield's Board of Education. Pomares, the Executive Director of the non-profit Cuban Arts Fund, ran for the Democratic nomination for the at-large council seat in 2010 eventually won by Venezia. Political newcomer Davis is an associate dean at William Paterson University and a member of the Demarest School Home and School Association.

Kevin Lindahl, Vice President of the Bloomfield Tenants Organization and renter advocate also ran for Council at Large, as did Russell Youngblood and Chris Diguilio, a Rent Advisory Committee member who serves as a security site manager for Toys R Us. 

Lindahl, Youngblood and DiGuilio drew 172, 166 and 152 votes, respectively.

Incumbent Democratic State Senator Ronald Rice ran unopposed for his party’s nomination and received 1235 votes in Bloomfield. Nutley Republican Frank Contella ran unopposed for his party’s nomination and received 685 votes in Bloomfield. 

Also in District 28, incumbent Democratic Assembly members Cleopatra G. Tucker and Ralph Caputo are ran unopposed for their party’s nomination, receiving 1118 votes and 1218, respectively. James Boydston of Bloomfield and Peter Manning ran unopposed for the Republican nomination to run for Assembly and received 665 and 674 votes.

In Bloomfield, at least, Barbara Buono dominated the Gubernatorial race, garnering 1228 votes to Chris Christie’s 707, Troy Webster’s 113 and Seth Grossman’s 51.