NORTH BERGEN - Larry Wainstein was unmoved when he came upon a house with two campaign signs for his political opponents.

He still trudged up to the porch, chatted amiably with the residents, and told them:

"Your vote is secret."

These are heady times for Wainstein, a man who has run three times for mayor of this Hudson County town, and lost three times - overwhelmingly to Nick Sacco.

But now he's running in the June 10 Democratic primary on a state Assembly ticket with incumbent Gabe Rodriguez.This is LD-33, which covers North Bergen, Union City, West New York, Guttenberg, Weehawken and Secaucus.

The Wainstein-Rodriguez team is backed by state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack. With roots in Union City and West New York, two of the three largest towns in the district, this team appears a good bet to win,  transforming Wainstein from a perennial losing candidate to a seat in the state Assembly.

This is easily explained.

Stack and Sacco, whose domains are separated by the center line on Kennedy Boulevard, are political adversaries, So, Wainstein joining the Stack ticket for Assembly is a great way for the Union City mayor to annoy Sacco.

For what it's worth, Sacco is backing Tony Hector and Frank Alonso for the district's two Assembly nominations. He said in a recent social media post:

"Tony and Frank are both dedicated community leaders who North Bergen will always be able to count on."

Hector said in a recent interview in his campaign office on gritty Paterson Plank Road, one of New Jersey's oldest thoroughfares, that he's known Sacco for 30 years. And he got into the Assembly race when he saw that Stack was putting Sacco's political opponent on the Assembly ticket. More recently, he said he would not accept his

$82,000 a year legislative salary if he wins. He would donate it to a food bank.

Hector, a real estate man by profession, is not impressed by Wainstein.

"I see Larry as a loser. He's lost three times in North Bergen," he said.

Wainstein attributes his losses to running against Sacco's entrenched political machine. In other words, it was close to an impossible task.

This brings up an obvious point - one that Hector is delighted to make.

This time around, it is Wainstein who has the machine of Brian Stack behind him.

Hector says Stack is too powerful, charging that one has to be on his team to receive help from the city and state. He also claims that as both mayor and head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Stack has far too much power in selecting judges, not only in Hudson County, but across the state.

Hector also says he opposes dual office holding.One person holding two elected jobs was banned during the Christie years; Stack is one of a mere handful of officials who were grandfathered in.

It's worth noting that Sacco also held two jobs - senator and mayor.

It had been a treasured Hudson County tradition.

Wainstein dismissed talk of Stack's political bossism. He said the record of the Union City mayor speaks for itself.

Stack is known throughout the region, if not state, for turning out the vote in Union City. Wainstein said that's proof that people like Stack and that he is doing a good job He said he would like to emulate Stack by emphasizing constituent services once he gets to Trenton.

Wainstein commented one recent evening as he and a team of volunteers descended upon a series of streets in lower North Bergen just off the Boulevard. This would figure to be Sacco territory, but Wainstein pushed ahead.

As the team moved along seventh, eighth and ninth streets, Wainstein spoke to as many people as possible. One woman, who was clearly on his side, said she didn't like Sacco.

"He's been there for too long," she said, a pug  (Casper) at her side.

Sacco has spent about 40 years in township politics.

Wainstein explained the ballot to one person, pointing out every person for whom she should vote. Which brings up another component - the governor's race.

Stack has endorsed Mikie Sherrill and the congresswoman's smiling face joins those of Wainstein and Rodriguez on campaign literature.

Hector and Alonso have been endorsed by Steve Fulop under the banner, Democrats for Change.

It was during this jaunt around the neighborhood that Wainstein saw the home with two signs for the Hector-Alonso team. He approached anyway.

As is the norm, if no one was home, volunteers slipped campaign material under the door.

Another woman with a small dog - appropriately named Tiny - also exchanged  pleasantries with Wainstein. Being nice to dogs you meet on the campaign trail is important.

But there are limits.

One home was being "guarded" by a rottweiler with an obvious attitude.

No need to stop there.