3 Bloomfield Democrats Run For Council With Steven Fulop’s Backing

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Three Democratic candidates in the Bloomfield Town Council race are throwing their hats into the ring together – with the backing of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

Stefanie Santiago, Tracy Toler-Phillips and Satenik Margaryan recently announced that they are running together on the “Bloomfield Democrats for Change” slate in 2025.

Santiago is running in the town’s first ward, and Toler-Phillips and Margaryan are seeking at-large council seats.

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A primary election will take place on June 10. The general election will take place on Nov. 4. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

The trio of candidates said they have picked up an endorsement from Fulop, who is running for governor as a Democrat this year.

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“We are committed to restoring accountability, transparency, and sustainability in Bloomfield, values which we don’t believe currently exist in our community,” Margaryan said.

She pointed to the damage left in the wake of Hurricane Ida in 2021, which eventually helped to spark the launch of a township flood committee – but not until three years later. See Related: Bloomfield Will Tackle Flooding With Citizen Committee

“After Hurricane Ida, due to the township's inaction, Tracy and I took it upon ourselves to seek federal assistance and later advocated for the establishment of a flood mitigation committee,” Margaryan said.

“We circulated a petition in 2021, conducted a survey in 2024, and organized a call to neighbors, urging them to attend the council meeting and advocate for the board’s creation,” Margaryan said.

“It should not have taken three years for the township to proactively address the threat of flooding in Bloomfield,” she added.

Former Bloomfield mayor and councilman Ted Gamble also endorsed the slate of candidates.

“They all have a proven track record of mobilizing the public during my campaign and around important issues such as flood mitigation,” Gamble said.

“This is the team that can make a difference here in Bloomfield,” he added.

The candidates’ campaign team provided the following biographies:

SATENIK MARGARYAN - Satenik Margaryan, a college professor with over two decades of experience in criminal justice education, has been incredibly active in Bloomfield’s civic life. She has served on multiple boards, such as the Civil Rights Commission, Watsessing Home and School Association, and the Rent Leveling Board. Margaryan firmly believes that the diversity within Bloomfield is what unites the community the most.

TRACY TOLER-PHILLIPS -Tracy Toler-Phillips is originally from South Florida and NYC. Currently an 18-year resident of Bloomfield, she has an extensive background in corporate, commercial, and fashion photography, managing large-scale projects with creativity and precision. Tracy also dedicated 11 years to teaching as a higher-level art instructor at Pratt Institute, mentoring students and fostering artistic growth. Combining her expertise with advocacy, she founded Cupid and Psyche Beauty, an eco-friendly, cruelty-free lipstick company supporting wildlife charities, with features in Nordstrom, Forbes, The New York Times, and Travel & Leisure. She holds a B.S. in Fine Arts from Florida State University and an A.A.S. in Photography from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Influenced by her mother’s lifelong activism, Tracy is passionate about advocacy, serving as Secretary of the Bloomfield Animal Shelter Advisory Board (2023–2025), founding and chairing the Bloomfield Flood Mitigation Advisory Board, and engaging in local governance as an elected Democratic District Leader for Ward 3-2.

STEFANIE SANTIAGO - Stefanie Santiago is a mental health care provider who understands the urgent need for accessible and effective community services. Her profession has cemented her passion for ethics and social justice. Beyond supporting the mental health of many families across the state, Santiago kickstarted a couple of local initiatives in Bloomfield, encompassing the lack of local LGBTQ+ social spaces available, creating more recreational park space and expanding civic dialogue surrounding the direct experiences of township practices.

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