JACKSON, NJ — The race for a seat on the Jackson Township Council has now become a three-way showdown, pitting a seasoned Republican figure and a local first responder against a newcomer with a controversial and shadowy past.
Ken Bressi, the longtime Republican mainstay and former Jackson mayor, enters the race with the full backing of the Jackson GOP club. A Vietnam combat veteran and retired U.S. Marine, Bressi was unanimously endorsed last month by the local Republican club. With decades of service on the planning and zoning boards, Bressi has been a central figure in township politics for years.
Bressi was appointed by Council President Jennifer Kuhn and recently endorsed by the Jackson Republican Club under the leadership of Council President Mordechai Burnstein. Bressi is running as the endorsed Republican candidate in this year’s election. Bressi’s appointment was to fill the seat of the late Scott Sargent, who passed away unexpectedly.
“Ken Bressi has the knowledge, experience, and commitment to keep Jackson moving forward,” said Jackson GOP President Mordechai Burnstein. “He knows the issues that matter.”
On Tuesday, Bressi gained another challenger from within the community.
Al Couceiro, a lifelong Jackson resident and the current chief of the Jackson Volunteer First Aid Squad, officially submitted petitions to run. Couceiro, who also serves as fire commissioner, said the time has come to “change the face” of township leadership and pledged to maintain the township’s rural charm and safety.
“As a town that is growing and changing, we can no longer rely on the status quo and expect anything in town to change,” Couceiro said in a public post on Facebook, announcing his candidacy. “We need leaders who aren’t afraid to make tough choices so that Jackson continues to be a place we’re proud to call home.”
Couceiro said that the status quo in Jackson is unacceptable.
An unlikely third contender joins the two hometown candidates: Chris Pollak, a New York City ironworker and martial artist who has recently moved to Jackson, residing within the Prospect Pointe rental apartment complex.
Pollak has recently taken heat following a viral interview in which he declared he would choose to “fight the Pope” if allowed to face one person in a match.
Local Jackson Facebook groups are being flooded non-stop with pro-Pollak propaganda from his campaign manager, known on Facebook as “Jennifer Nicole”, a resident of the Silver Pine mobile home park.
Pollak has found himself as an alleged ally of Jackson Mayor Michael Reina. Pollak said he has met with Mayor Reina several times at his home to discuss politics and strategy.
At this time, the powerful Orthodox Jewish bloc vote appears to be behind Bressi.
With the candidate filing deadline set for Thursday, no other petitions have been submitted. Bressi, seen as the GOP establishment favorite, will likely face his strongest challenge from Couceiro, whose profile as a local first responder may resonate with voters seeking change without controversy.
While Pollak has gained momentum on social media, many serious voters are not taking the former superhero cosplayer’s campaign seriously.