Newark city council In November 1968, following his involvement in the riots, Imperiale gained national attention by winning a seat on the
Municipal Council of Newark. His victory was taken as emblematic of
white ethnic backlash against the riots and the
civil rights movement. He represented the city at-large, but his political base was the North Ward, an economically diverse region of the city bordering the
Passaic River and home to a large white population of mostly
Italian American residents, along with substantial
African American,
Irish American, and
Puerto Rican minorities. Shortly after Gibson's election, the
1970 census showed that Newark had become the second black-majority city in the United States. Because the 1971 elections gave the Democratic Party a slim 40-39 advantage in the General Assembly, Imperiale's victory threatened to deadlock the chamber. As a result, Imperiale's role as an independent was crucial to the legislative organization of the Assembly and passage of any legislation in the upcoming session. On November 4, however, Governor
William T. Cahill pledged to block any efforts to invite Imperiale to vote with the
Republican Party. On November 5, George C. Richardson of Newark said he would walk out rather than vote for a Democratic majority that included Imperiale, which he believed would be "an insult to every white or black who believes in racial conciliation." In late 1972, he led the opposition to the construction of Kawaida Towers, a planned low- and middle-income
high-rise public housing project in the North Ward, organizing against
Imamu Amiri Baraka, the city's leading
black nationalist and sponsor of the project, which he referred to as "the temple Kawaida." Opponents of the project denied their opposition was racially motivated and emphasized the single-family homes and small apartment buildings which dominated the character of the neighborhood; councilman Anthony Guiliano cited high rises as "breed[ing] slums" and "crime". Imperiale publicly called for a meeting with Baraka and expressed willingness to support a five-story building or "garden apartments."
State senator (197478), 1974 mayoral campaign 1973 Senate election In 1973, although he was expected to win easily by pulling votes from both Republican and Democratic voters Imperiale chose not to run for re-election and instead ran as an independent for the
New Jersey Senate, seeking an open seat in the newly created
30th district, which included the North Ward as well as Newark's East Ward and the towns of
Belleville,
East Newark,
Harrison,
Kearny, and
Secaucus. The district featured a predominantly white ethnic population and the campaign was dominated by concerns regarding crime. In 1975, Imperiale was ranked as the most conservative member of the New Jersey legislature by the organization
Americans for Democratic Action. He received 7 percent on the ADA survey, having only voted in favor of one ADA-supported measure, a bill strengthening the state Public Employment Relations Commission.
1974 mayoral campaign In 1974, Imperiale ran against incumbent Kenneth Gibson, but lost with 43.7% of the vote.
1977 gubernatorial campaign Following his second failed mayoral bid, Imperiale briefly ran for governor of New Jersey in 1977 before dropping out of the race. He was defeated for re-election to the state senate in 1977 by
Frank E. Rodgers, the mayor of
Harrison. He was again elected to the State Assembly in 1979, this time as a Republican. He defeated three-term Democratic Assemblyman John F. Cali.
1981 gubernatorial campaign He gave up his Assembly seat in 1981 to seek the Republican nomination for
Governor of New Jersey, finishing 6th in a field of 8 candidates with 5% of the vote. Later, Imperiale made unsuccessful bids for Essex County Freeholder, Essex County Sheriff, and U.S. Representative. == Electoral history ==