5 Lessons Former Biden Official Learned Running For Hoboken Mayor

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken resident Dini Ajmani, who served as Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary in the Biden administration until January, launched a first-time bid for Hoboken mayor this year, saying she was concerned about the city's financial health.

Four of her five opponents were longtime City Council members, convincing her that the city needed new blood.

Ajmani spent more than $100,000, but came in fifth. The top two candidates will face each other in a runoff on Dec. 2. READ MORE: 'Positive' Hoboken Runoff Campaign Lasted Only 48 Hours

Ajmani said Thursday that she wanted to share what she'd learned by running for mayor.

When asked, she said she's not sure if she'll run for office again. "I am still going through all the phases of grief, let alone think about what comes next," she said. "I hope 'too soon' is an acceptable answer."

She added, "Running as a complete unknown to be the mayor was probably the most audacious thing I’ve ever done. And that’s saying something. I’m someone who decided to raise a toddler, get pregnant, and have a baby during my MBA at Stanford. When the incumbent mayor announced he wouldn’t seek re-election and it became clear the likely contenders would be sitting council members, I felt compelled to run."

The following list is in Ajmani's own words.

Ajmani's List: What She Learned As A First-Time Candidate

1. Money. Money. Money.

Millions are spent even in small-city elections. In Hoboken’s mayoral race with only about 19k voters, candidates together spent close to $100 per voter. That doesn’t even include PAC money or spending on run-off. For comparison, the 2024 presidential election which was our most expensive ever, came in around $35 per voter. When you see those numbers up close, it’s jarring.

2. You Feed My Cat, I’ll Walk Your Dog

Quid pro quo isn’t subtle in local politics. It’s business as usual. About 70 percent of one candidate’s funds came from developers, including a large donation made just before that donor was approved to build a 26-story tower. Another candidate received hefty contributions from the police union and voted for a contract with massive salary increases. Our campaign finance laws have effectively legalized corruption.

3. Ready, Set, Spend

There’s an entire ecosystem that lives off campaign money. I call it the Campaign Industrial Complex. It includes strategy consultants, media advisors, digital firms, direct-mail vendors, pollsters, data companies, and field teams. This machine runs on one thing: candidates endlessly asking for dollars and then funneling that money straight into the same network. Margins are high, accountability is low, and spending comes easy when money flows freely.

4. The Missing Fourth Estate

In a small city with limited independent media, breaking through as an outsider is tough. Few reporters cover debates or write editorials because of bandwidth constraints. Compare that to a place like New York, where local coverage helped elevate Zohran Mamdani into public consciousness. In Hoboken, one of our debates drew just 75 people and there was no livestream. Without local media engagement, democracy suffers.

5. Current System Discourages Newcomers

Local elections are the bedrock of our democracy. When barriers to entry get too high, financially or politically, we lose the diversity of voices that keeps democracy healthy. If we allow the current juggernaut to discourage new participants, the entire edifice risks collapse.

• READ MORE: 'Positive' Hoboken Runoff Campaign Lasted Only 48 Hours
• READ MORE: Dini Ajmani Says Who She'll Choose In Runoff

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