Mayor Zimmer Endorses Councilman Bhalla's Assembly Run

Councilman-at-Large Ravi Bhalla, who was elected to the city council in 2009, is planning to continue his candidacy to become Assemblyman of the 33rd district, he announced on Wednesday in a press release. 

In doing so, he has won Mayor Dawn Zimmer's endorsement.

Bhalla is the first candidate for state assembly officially endorsed by the mayor.

Bhalla filed petitions on April 1 to be a candidate in the June primary, but at that point wasn't sure if he was going to stay in the race, he said then.

Since the petitions were filed in April, Carmelo Garcia — the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority who was picked by State Senator Brian Stack to run with the support from the Hudson County Democratic Organization — was deemed ineligible to run for office.

Bhalla is running independently, without the support of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

"I have spent the last three weeks engaging residents of the 33rd District in conversations about the issues that concern them, and look forward to continuing those conversations throughout the campaign," Bhalla said in a press release.

Bhalla unsuccesfully ran for a seat on the assembly two years go.

Bhalla has about $250,000 in his campaign coffers, he announced.  According to his press release, Bhalla is ready for a "highly competitive race."