Nick Acocella of Hoboken, founding editor of Politifax, inveterate keeper of all things Hudson County, an unconquerable curious spirit with a hunger to understand and explain the inner workings of New Jersey politics, and host of his own show Pasta & Politics, has died.

He was 77.

His family is planning a memorial service in about six months, or whenever feasible.

“A brilliant, caring and profoundly decent man,” said Democratic State Committeeman Tom Barrett of Milburn. “He was my mentor and my dear friend.”

A New Jersey legend who combined his love of cooking meals and political deals, to paraphrase him, on his public television show, Pasta & Politics, Mr. Acocella possessed a passion for the American political experience, specifically as expressed through the dungeon crawl of his home state – and his home county.

Each week for over 20 years, he delighted New Jersey’s political etablishment with his original newsletter, Politifax, which concentrated insider knowledge in one digestable, eminently readable, redoubtable go-to resource.

‘What I love about New Jersey politics is that it never stops,” Mr. Acocella told The New York Times in 2003. ”In some places they have elections every two years and that’s it. Here, we have elections every two months, and that’s the fun.”

Born in Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital in Jersey City, Mr. Acocella grew up in West New York, graduated from St. Peter’s Prep and University of California Berkeley, worked as a freelance journalist and wrote multiple books about baseball, including The Book of Baseball Lineups, before turning his attention fully to New Jersey politics.

“One of the icons of New Jersey political journalism,” was how NJTV Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron described Mr. Acocella in 2018.

Governor Phil Murphy issued a statement.

“No one covering Jersey politics was more Jersey than Nick Acocella,” Murphy said. “He was that rare breed who could handicap all the important races, share his favorite pasta recipe, and analyze the Yankees’ lineup — and all within the same five-minute chat. He will be deeply missed by all of us.”

So did Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3).

“This is a terrible loss for Nick’s family, his many friends and the entire New Jersey political community,” Sweeney said. “Nick was a unique man who possessed an acquired knowledge of how politics really works and an innate understanding of the people who make it work. He was respected and truly liked by everyone. He brought a real passion to all his pursuits, especially baseball, cooking, New Jersey politics and his family.  Nick will be sadly missed, but he will not be forgotten.”