Jersey City mayoral candidate Bill O’Dea, a Hudson County commissioner (D-2), has named lifelong educator Kristen Zadroga-Hart as his first council-at-large running mate.
“Kristen’s dedication to education and her advocacy for various causes within our city make her an ideal candidate to represent all residents of Jersey City,” O’Dea said in a statement.
“I am confident that her leadership and vision will contribute greatly to our campaign and to the future of our city.”
Zadroga-Hart, who had been serving as the committee chair of O’Dea’s mayoral campaign, ran for the District 31 Assembly seat in 2017 and then the Ward A council seat in 2021.
Her candidacy had been expected among politicos since O’Dea launched his campaign in November, where she delivered remarks in support, and then even more so after the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA) PAC endorsed the county commissioner in January (Hart is a ranking member of the teachers union).
“I am honored to join Bill O’Dea in this endeavor to serve Jersey City. I look forward to working alongside him to address the issues that matter most to our residents, from improving education to enhancing community services to prioritizing infrastructure and ensuring equitable opportunities for all,” she said.
“We are running so that every Jersey City resident has a voice and feels heard and to put more power into the hands of the people and not the political power brokers. We will work tirelessly to make sure that our slogan; OUR CITY. OUR CHOICE continues to be a priority that sets the standard for all decisions that are made under Team O’Dea’s leadership.”
Hart’s formal candidacy announcement will come at Team O’Dea Headquarters, 1600 John F. Kennendy Boulevard, on Saturday, June 29th at 11 a.m. as part of their summer kickoff event.
O’Dea is the second mayoral candidate to announce a running mate for the non-partisan November 4th, 2025 election, with Council President Joyce Watterman rolling out four slate members last week, including former Mayor Steven Fulop challenger Lewis Spears, as HCV first reported.
For the time being, the other declared mayoral hopefuls are former Gov. Jim McGreevey and ex-Board of Education President Mussab Ali, with Ward E Councilman James Solomon expected to announce his 2025 plans at some point next month.
