Garcia, Mukherji Top Vote-Getters in 33rd District Democratic Assembly Primary

If unofficial election results hold up, Carmelo Garcia and Raj Mukherji appear likely to represent Hoboken, Union City, Weehawken and parts of Jersey City as state assemblymen in New Jersey's reliably Democratic 33rd District.

The Hudson County Democratic Organization-backed candidates held a comfortable lead over any of the other challengers for the two assembly seats, with more than 90 percent of the district's reporting, according to election returns posted on the Hudson County Clerk's website.

"I'm excited. It feels great," said Garcia, who was reached by phone while the votes were still being tallied. "It's been about hard work, hustle, all heart and the people. Thats what it's all about."

Garcia, a Hoboken school board member and the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, has said previously that he would step down from the Board of Education if elected, but plans to continue in his capacity with the HHA.

was both illegal and a conflict of interest.

Judge Peter Bariso ruled initially that Garcia was ineligible to run for public partisan office due to his position, but he returned to the ballot in late April after an appellate court overturned the decision.

Garcia and Mukherji, the deputy mayor of Jersey City, lead "Democrats for Change" candidates John Hilt IV and Anthony Mills, and Peter Basso, a "Hudson County Progressive Democrats" selection, who is currently running third in the voting.

Hoboken Councilman-at-large Ravi Bhalla, who remained on the ballot despite withdrawing his candidacy, is running fourth, with about 4 percent of the vote. Bhalla, who called Garcia's candidacy "a blatant violation of the spirit of both federal and state laws," came out in support of Basso, a Jersey City attorney, on Monday.

Garcia and Mukherji will square off against Republican primary winners Jude Anthony Tiscornia and Armando Hernandez in the general election, while Union City Mayor Brian Stack, who ran for re-election to the state senate on the Hudson County Democratic ticket with Garcia and Mukherji, will match up with Republican James Sanford in November.