Since his failed coup against the Hudson County Democratic Organization last year, Stack has fallen in and out of so many political alliances he has come to resemble a Buster Keaton silent film comedy character.
Keaton routinely played a likeable but somewhat inept character who stumbled into precarious situations and somehow, by luck, survived them.
Unfortunately, some members of the Brian Stack comedy troupe - who relied on Stack to keep his word - may not walk away unscathed for their defiance of the all-mighty HCDO.
Most people believe Stack means well, but is someone who does not take advice. So he stumbles from one situation to another, often contradicting where he stood even 24 hours after he committed himself to a candidate.
His recent reversal on supporting Hoboken Police Captain James Fitzsimmons for freeholder is a perfect example of this.
Stack, who originally promised to support alternative candidates in the Hudson County freeholder race, changed his mind last week and threw his support behind the HCDO ticket - which included Fitzsimmons to replace incumbent Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons in 5th District, which includes Hoboken and a portion of Jersey City Heights. But then, he changed his mind about Fitzsimmons, too.
Oddly enough, Maurice Fitzgibbons had earned Stack's disfavor for making peace with the HCDO when Stack was still opposed to the HCDO. In a move from the "Do as I say, not as I do" political rule book, Stack sacked Fitzgibbons by offering Fitzsimmons the slot.
To be fair to Stack, Fitzsimmons failed to tell Stack that his weapon-carrying privileges had been suspended pending an internal police inquiry.
Stack, discovering this just prior to midnight on Sunday, April 6, decided to replace Fitzsimmons as the candidate, sending people into a panic to get the necessary primary petition signatures for another police captain, Anthony "Stick" Romano, in time to meet the April 8 filing deadline.
Fitzsimmons still filed to run on Monday, but by Thursday, he'd withdrawn for the race.
Adding to the comedy is Hoboken-based developer Frank Raia, who apparently entered the freeholder race against Fitzsimmons - part of some longtime political feud.
This means that Romano will be facing several other candidates, including reformer Ines Garcia Keim - who appears to be getting strong support in Jersey City Heights from Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop - and Jersey City challenger Sean Connors.
Sadly for Stack, he won't be able to control the winning candidate the way he appears to influence freeholders in West New York and Union City.
Even Romano, his latest choice, is known for being "pro-Hoboken" and for his independence.
Reports suggest that Stack is taking the Hoboken race to heart, since many political observers have called him the new political boss of Hoboken since his being elected state senator.
Expect to see Stack pour a lot of funds into the race to counter Raia's ample war chest.
Andrews will get ex-Stack supporters
However, many claim Stack's biggest political blunder was backing the re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg after Stack allegedly promised several Southern New Jersey political power brokers that he would back Rep. Rob Andrews for the spot.
Had Stack backed Andrews, he would have won the gratitude of some of the most important political operatives in the state and might have counted on them for key legislation in the future. Stack's support of Lautenberg will get lost in the crowd, and appreciation for his effort will last right up until Lautenberg retires at some point after his re-election.
While Gov. Jon Corzine, who will later name Lautenberg's replacement, might be grateful to Stack, Corzine won't be in office long enough to remember Stack with any affection.
In some ways, the political revolution Stack supposedly started last year is now moving on without him, as key political people such as Fulop, state Sen. Sandra Cunningham, and state Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone throw their support behind Andrews.
It is very possible that Fulop, Cunningham, Connors and others could take away the Democratic for Hudson County, the political party Stack started.
The other freeholder races
With or without Stack, the HCDO candidates will still face strong opposition in June Freeholder Democratic Primaries.
HCDO-backed Freeholder Doreen DiDomenico is facing off against former Bayonne Councilwoman Mary Jane Desmond and David Logenhagen in the 1st District, which includes all of Bayonne and a tiny slice of southwestern Jersey City.
In the 2nd District, which includes most of the West Side of Jersey City south of Journal Square, Freeholder Bill O'Dea is running in the primary unopposed, despite numerous rumors of possible challenges leading up to filing deadline.
The 3rd Freeholder District that includes most of southern Jersey City, Freeholder Chairman Jeff Dublin is being challenged by Charles Mainor, Ronnie J. Meadows and Arnold Williams.
Perhaps the most watched race of the freeholder primary will be in the 4th District - which includes most of Jersey City Heights - where HCDO incumbent Freeholder Eliu Rivera is being opposed by Connors and Sonia Araujo.
Incumbents Tilo Rivas, Jose C. Munoz, Thomas Liggio and Albert Cifelli are running unopposed in North and West Hudson.
The Hudson County Republican Party has only two freeholder candidates: Michael Bartulovich in North Bergen/Secaucus, and Jacob Hahn in West Hudson County.
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