Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver will be the Democrats’ nominee to replace the late Rep. Donald Payne in a special election this September.
In a district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3-1, that’s expected to line her up for an easy win in the fall.
McIver easily rose to the top of an 11-candidate field in a special primary election Tuesday night for New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District seat, which covers most of Newark as well as other parts of Essex, Union and Hudson counties. She won more than 47% of the vote in unofficial tallies. Her next-closest competitor had less than 14% of the vote.
In the general primary election for the district, she’ll face Republican clothier Carmen Bucco, who ran unopposed in his own party’s special primary election. A Republican hasn’t won the seat since 1948.
The winner of the September election will only fill Payne’s seat for a few months, until a new term begins in January.
Separately, local Democratic leaders will select a candidate to run in the regular November election, for the full next term. While McIver’s endorsements and special primary victory make her the likely lead contender for that nomination, no candidate has yet been announced. Bucco is running as the Republican in the November regular election race as well.
McIver had been endorsed by local party leaders as well as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, U.S Sen. Cory Booker and Gov. Phil Murphy — key advantages in any race, but especially in a low-turnout, special primary with a crowded field. But heading into the election, political analysts said candidates who don’t have the blessing of party elites were feeling emboldened in a year where progressive reformers had seen several victories in a fight against New Jersey’s party bosses.
McIver has touted the establishment of an office of violence prevention and trauma recovery during her time in office in Newark, that addresses mental health issues, drug abuse and gang violence. She said she supports the creation of more affordable housing, protecting reproductive rights for women, increasing access to health care and funding transit infrastructure.
Payne represented the 10th Congressional District for 12 years before his death at the age of 65 in April from health issues related to diabetes. Because his death came shortly before the standard June primaries, he remained the sole candidate on the regular Democratic primary ballot after his death, prompting the need for a special election.
