Outgoing Assemblywoman Barbara McCann Stamato (D-Jersey City) didn’t rule out running for the Assembly again in two years, telling the New Jersey Globe on Monday that it was too early to begin that decision-making.
After her final hearing on the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, the assemblywoman said she’s enjoyed her time in the Assembly and would “maybe” consider running again.
The assemblywoman narrowly lost renomination in June’s primary; instead, Democrats in the 31st legislative district sent Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker and Assemblyman William Sampson (D-Bayonne) to the general election. Sampson beat McCann Stamato by about 230 votes in the primary.
The chairwoman of the Jersey City Democratic Committee, she ran on a slate with Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop in the primary, while Sampson ran with the organization ticket. Organization Democrats had no gripe with Stamato, a longtime Jersey City insider, and had sought to negotiate a unity ticket that would have allowed her to remain in office, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
A couple of McCann Stamato’s bills cleared committee late last week. One would extend the time period for certain people receiving federal housing choice vouchers to locate new housing, while the other requires restaurants to clearly disclose “high-caffeine” drinks, or those with at least 80 milligrams of total caffeine per serving.
McCann Stamato praised her district’s senator, Angela McKnight (D-Jersey City), saying she hopes McKnight runs for the Senate again.
“I hope she runs again,” McCann Stamato said. “That’s how I feel about her, she’s wonderful.”
