LaMonica McIver wins special New Jersey primary for Donald Payne Jr.’s US House seat

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver has won the special House Democratic primary to succeed the late Donald Payne Jr. in Congress.

McIver emerged victorious Tuesday amid a crowded field to succeed Payne, who died in April after serving in the House for over two decades.

She has served on the city council of the state’s largest city since 2018 and has worked as a personnel director for Montclair Public Schools.

McIver emerged as a leading candidate in the 11-way primary over the summer, getting endorsements from Payne’s family, party leaders and Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy set the special primary under state law after Payne’s death, with the special general election slated for Sept. 18.

The special election will determine who serves out the remainder of Payne’s term, which ends Jan. 3, 2025, while the regular election process held in parallel will determine who fills the seat after that. McIver won’t automatically be on the ballot for the full term in the seat, though she’ll have an insight track. That candidate is to be chosen next month by Democratic committee members from towns in the district.

In an interview with The Associated Press after she was declared the winner, McIver said she intends to pursue a full term in office.

She said her top policy priorities include affordability, infrastructure, abortion rights and “protecting our democracy.”

“In my short period of time campaigning, I spent a lot of time talking with different residents about their ability to afford to live,” she said, saying policies are needed to contain growth of rent and prescription drug prices, among other areas.

The 10th Congressional District lies in a heavily Democratic and majority-Black region of northern New Jersey. Republicans are outnumbered by more than 6 to 1.

Republican Carmen Bucco was uncontested in the GOP primary and is the nominee in the regular election, too.

It’s been a volatile year for Democrats in New Jersey, where the party dominates state government and the congressional delegation.

Among the developments were the indictment on federal bribery charges of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who denies the charges, and the demise of the so-called county party line — a system in which local political leaders give their preferred candidates favorable position on the primary ballot.

Kim and other Democrats brought a federal lawsuit challenging the practice as part of his campaign to oust Menendez, who was convicted Tuesday.

Democrats abandoned Menendez, and he’s vowed to run as an independent, but he challenged the system amid a contest against state first lady Tammy Murphy, who had party leader backing. She withdrew from the race, but a federal judge put a temporary hold on the longtime practice, upending the system and tweaking party leaders.

Mike Catalini And Geoff Mulvihill, The Associated Press