O’Dea Reflects on Politics, Public Service, and Mayoral Run

Jersey City mayoral candidate Bill O’Dea joined the HudPost podcast this week for a wide-ranging conversation about his early life, political career, and vision for the city’s future.

O’Dea, who is currently serving his ninth term as a Hudson County Commissioner, was first elected to the Jersey City Council in 1985. A lifelong resident of the city, he described growing up on Baldwin Avenue, attending St. Joe’s Grammar School, and later graduating from St. Peter’s Prep. “I used to get in trouble a lot at school,” O’Dea said, recalling his time as an altar and patrol boy. “Back then they had 6:30 Mass, and the same seven or eight people used to come to every one.”

He spoke fondly of his early ties to public service, including delivering the Jersey Journal at age 12 and working summers in Lincoln Park. Those early jobs, he said, exposed him to how politics could positively impact communities. “I always saw it as politicians helping people,” he noted, describing how he joined local boards, co-founded a crime-prevention group, and pushed for ordinances as a young activist.

Asked about changes in politics since the 1980s, O’Dea pointed to a transformed media landscape. “Now you’ve got bloggers reporting stuff in real time,” he said. He added that while social media has democratized access to information, he hopes for more investigative journalism from local outlets.

Throughout the interview, O’Dea emphasized his hands-on approach to public service. He shared a recent story about helping a woman in need outside a florist shop: calling a district commander, providing her food, and waiting with her until help arrived. “That’s kind of the way I was raised,” he said.

O’Dea also reflected on personal growth, including developing emotional intelligence. “When I was younger, it was harder for me to express emotion,” he said. “Now, I’ve learned it’s okay to choke up, maybe even shed a couple of tears.”

Discussing the 2025 mayoral race, O’Dea said he expects a runoff election and expressed confidence in his campaign. He responded to a recently released internal poll from the Musab Ali campaign that placed O’Dea in third place at 11 percent, saying such surveys often lack transparency. “Unless I have the entire poll book and know who people called, I can’t judge that as a real poll,” he said.

Asked what voters should know heading into November, O’Dea said, “I’m a 24/7 guy. I have experience, not only legislative, but in nonprofit development and management. I’m at a point in my career where I don’t mind making tough decisions—and I’m not looking to run for anything else.”