By David Cruz
There’s a battle underway in the 10th Congressional District, the seat that became available after the death of Donald Payne, Sr. In a county where the relationships among Democratic politicians are as likely to be familial as they are collegial, you might not be surprised to find that the Essex County Democratic Party establishment has already chosen its candidate for the June 10th district congressional primary.
“I will be supporting Don Payne, Jr. for the seat,” said Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, after a meeting with Payne and other Democratic Party leaders. “He has been involved in public service for his entire life. He is no stranger to the halls of Congress. He has been at his father’s side for 23 years.”
Payne, Newark Councilman Ron Rice, Jr., State Senator Nia Gill, and Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith are the best-known names seeking the seat. Essex County Democratic Party Chairman says they’re all fine public servants and good Democrats – but someone’s got to get the nomination.
“That’s the purpose of a primary to decide who the nominee of the Democratic primary is going to be,” said Essex County Democratic Party Chairman Phil Thigpen, who happens to be Payne’s cousin. “That’s why we have primaries. I mean, if it was left to me, it would be very simple.”
The long shot in this race –- although he disputes that assessment -– is Smith. The Irvington mayor says this race shouldn’t be about who you know or who you’re related to.
“We cannot have a society where only the elites govern,” he said outside Irvington Town Hall. “It’s got to be people who serve in a representative government where the rubber meets the road, and certainly I have a lot of experience as a mayor of a city.”
All four of these candidates are well known in Essex County, which makes up the majority of the 10th Congressional District. There are a couple of other lesser-known candidates as well. Smith is a popular three-term mayor, Rice is in his second term on the Newark City council and was the first candidate to declare. Gill is a high-profile Montclair-based state senator who most recently led the charge against Supreme Court nominee Phil Kwon. But Donald Payne, Jr. has the extra bonus of being named after a historic, and beloved political figure – the late Donald Payne, Sr..
“It’s the Democratic process and this is the way that you become the candidate for said office” he said, “so I just hope that it is a race that deals with issues and not personalities because this is about serving the people and not our own agendas.”
In case the June primary ballot wasn’t busy enough, voters will have to choose from among these candidates to fill the unexpired term of the late Congressman. Then on the same day, on the same ballot, they’ll have to choose from among the candidates to be the party’s nominee in the fall general election.
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