TRENTON, NJ (AP) — Voters in northern New Jersey will decide a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives to fill the seat that opened when Rep. Donald Payne Jr. died earlier this year.
Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver, a Democrat, and Carmen Bucco, a Republican, are vying for the seat in the heavily Democratic and majority black 10th Congressional District. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy called the special election under state law after Payne’s death in April. He had served in Parliament for more than two decades.
Wednesday’s election will determine who will serve the remainder of Payne’s term, which ends Jan. 3, 2025. A concurrent regular election process will determine who fills the seat after that. McIver and Bucco are also on the ballot for a full term, as are third-party candidates.
McIver became the Democratic standard-bearer after winning a special primary earlier this summer amid a crowded field of 11 candidates, earning endorsements from Payne’s family, party leaders and Democratic Sen. Cory Booker. He has served on the council of the state’s largest city since 2018 and served as director of human resources for Montclair Public Schools.
McIver has said his top policy priorities include affordability, infrastructure, abortion rights and “protecting our democracy.”
“During my short time campaigning, I spent a lot of time talking to different residents about their livelihoods,” he said, adding that the policy is needed to curb increases in rent and prescription drug prices, among other things.
Bucco describes himself on his campaign website as a small business owner who was influenced by his foster care. He considers the most important topics to be supporting law enforcement and ending corruption.
It’s been a volatile year for Democrats in New Jersey, where the party controls state government and the congressional delegation.
Among the developments were the conviction of US Senator Bob Menendez, who denied the charges, on federal bribery charges and the so-called county party line shedding – a system in which local political leaders give their preferred candidates favorable status. primary voting.
Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who is running for Menendez’s seat, and other Democrats filed a federal lawsuit challenging the practice as part of his campaign to oust Menendez, who has resigned since his conviction.
