By Steve Morris

Rutherford continues to be a political hot zone as a heated primary battle appears to be brewing on the horizon between the Mayor John Hipp-endorsed slate of Frank Wilson and Joseph DeSalvo Jr and the anti-Hipp slate of Marietta Marquart and James Dowden. 

While Wilson and DeSalvo may enjoy the support of the Mayor, Marquart and Dowden have municipal GOP chair John Daub on their side. 

“Jim Dowden and Mary Marquart are organically grown candidates and have paid their dues doing all the little jobs around the party for so long. They have my full support,” said Daub about the 2 candidates.

The Rutherford GOP chairman looks forward to the primary and doesn’t see it getting nasty.  “ I have a theory that once you start winning elections that people come out of the woodwork and want to run because they think they have a shot at winning as Republicans in this town,” said Dowd when asked why he had a primary on his hands. 

In comparison, the Hipp ticket is, well, a lot like Hipp; it is composed of political johnny-come-latelies.  Frank Wilson has only been registered to vote in Bergen County since October of 2005.  Joe DeSalvo’s record is even more interesting as he’s only been a registered Republican for 31 days and has never voted in a primary or school board election, hardly the kind of voting record one would expect from a potential council candidate. 

Rutherford, once touted as the beginning of a new era by County GOP Chairman Rob Ortiz, has descended into disorganized chaos.  The recreation dept. is directorless and on life support, the borough has yet to hire a new administrator, EnCap continues to smolder and the Mayor’s shake up of the police dept. not only broke campaign promises but has caused bad blood to develop between the Mayor and the department.    

Already facing a serious challenge from Bob Yudin for the chairmanship, a primary shootout in Rutherford is the last thing embattled BCRO Chairman Rob Ortiz needs right now, especially one that seems directed towards usurping the man he personally anointed, John Hipp.