Newark Council President LaMonica McIver won the special primary election held for New Jersey’s 10th congressional district, securing roughly 47 percent of the vote in a Democratic contest with 11 candidates to succeed late U.S. Rep. Donald Payne.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
McIver secured the endorsements of the likes of U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chair LeRoy Jones, and Payne’s family en route to a very convincing victory.
Linden Mayor Derek Armstead came in a very distance second place with just under 14 percent of the vote, with Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker (D-3) coming in third with less than 10 percent of the vote.
“We won a big victory for LaMonica!” state Senator Joe Cryan (D-20) exclaimed to cheers at McIver’s victory party at TRYP by Wyndham Newark Downtown.
“As somebody whose family went back with the Payne legacy for generations, ladies and gentlemen, tonight we turn the page with sadness but with respect. Tonight, we turn the page to a new legacy. And may I say she gets there. It’s very, very exciting.”
Jones, also the Essex County Democratic Committee chair said McIver will be “a voice for this country” before explaining how he and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democratic candidate for governor, selected her as their preferred candidate.
“We sat down, ya know, shortly after the transition of our good friend, Ras and I. It didn’t take the better part of 10 minutes to determine who should take that mantle of leadership and who should move forward with an agenda similar to that of Don Payne, Jr. and Don Payne, Sr.,” Jones noted.
“We want to say to al those candidates thank you for your courage to put yourself before the electorate and offer your services. We hope those candidates will seek to galvanize around a leader who has big shoes to fill. Those shoes will be high heels,. She will walk with dignity through the hallowed halls of Congress.”
Baraka added that they made a pledge not to talk about candidates until after Payne’s funeral, but he always felt strongly that McIver was hands down the best choice.
“This is a really emotional moment for me. I’ve known LaMonica for almost all her life, as a young girl passing out literature in the City of Newark before she really understood what was going on,” he explained.
Baraka noted that McIver supported him in his early political campaigns as a volunteer.
“She was there passing out literature and grew up in that environment. Soon, I began passing out literature for her,” he added.
“There’s nobody who goes to those council meetings who can say she’s not in charge,” Baraka declared to applause. “She’s a woman of her own ideas. She won’t be pushed around one way or another. I knew her that way at 10.”
He said she would not flip-flop and would fight for Democratic ideals across the country.
“Right now, as we sit here, they’re at the Republican National Convention, saying all kind of manner of things, pushing Project 2025 that will hurt all of us in this room. So we need to be sure we send somebody to Congress that represents us.”
Baraka then introduced McIver before she addressed the crowd.
“I want to thank everyone who stayed steadfast and believed in a little girl from the city of Newark,” McIver declared to cheers.
“We can’t forget what brought us here, which was the loss of our Congressman Donald Payne Jr. I want to give a thanks to the Payne family. They’re still in a grieving moment. Say a prayer for the Payne family,” she began.
“I want to thank each of the candidates who ran. Good job to them running. I’m looking forward to working with each of them. I’m all about partnership and collaboration for our people.”
She indicated that the fight isn’t over, since their is still a special general election on September 18th. The Democratic committee members in CD-10 will also appoint a placeholder for the seat tomorrow, with McIver being the most likely choice.
“This victory is crucial given the current national climate. It is imperative we send people to Congress who have our best interests at heart. And you have that in me.”
“I am about people. Whatever is best for people is best for me. People say what agenda are you on? The people’s agenda!” she declared to applause.
She later said that affordability is a significant issue she wants to work on in Congress.
“People are priced out of everything in this nation, specifically in CD-10. Rent is high. Mortgage is high. Food is high. Things are just too expensive for the average American, especially here in CD-10. And we need to focus on how we’re going to move money to resident’s pockets,” McIver stated.