Former Newark Council President LaMonica McIver won a seat in Congress on Wednesday and celebrated with a jovial gathering of supporters and allies in Newark.
The Wednesday special election wasn’t much of a competition, nor was it expected to be — McIver secured more than 80 percent of the vote as of 9 p.m. At the Newark celebration, the congresswoman-elect said she was thankful to her fellow Newark councilmembers and honored to carry on the legacy of the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-Newark), whom she is succeeding.
“Now, I have the opportunity to continue the fight in Washington on behalf of the entire 10th congressional district,” McIver said in her victory speech. “And I will fight, because the purpose of politics and the purpose of our vote is to give the people of our communities and our nation a bold voice in shaping our future for the betterment of all Americans.”
McIver defeated Republican Carmen Bucco, a tailor and nonprofit founder. McIver stepped down as the president of Newark’s Council on Tuesday, but remains in her Central Ward seat for now.
“Our fundamental rights and freedoms are on the line,” she said. “The right for women to make their own reproductive decisions is on the line. We’ll decide whether we want an economy that benefits wealthy corporations or hard-working Americans.”
Payne died in April after a short illness, and Wednesday’s special election will allow McIver to conclude the final three and a half months of his term.
State Democratic Chairman/Essex County Democratic Chairman LeRoy Jones and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka were among the attendees Wednesday.
“LaMonica is going to give them everything,” said Baraka, who is also running for governor. “From her authenticity, her intelligence, her clarity, her courage, her fight, it’s going to shine on the biggest stage in the world.”
“Tonight, she has established incumbency,” Jones said. “When we move to the November contest, we will be supporting the incumbent from the 10th district.”
This is the third electoral contest McIver has won this year. The Democrat won a crowded July 16 primary to win the nomination for Wednesday’s special election. She easily won a Democratic convention two days later to secure the nomination for the November general election — the special convention was needed to replace Payne on the ballot.
McIver will look to win her fourth contest of the year come November when she faces Bucco in a 10th district rematch.
A lot remains up in the air for McIver: The congresswoman-elect said she does not know exactly when she will be sworn in (though she hopes very soon), and that she hasn’t yet finalized staffing decisions for Washington. She told the New Jersey Globe that Payne staffers must reapply for their jobs.
“We have to put in the work,” McIver said to the crowd. “And I know that we will succeed because I have seen the spirit and determination in our people. We will rise to the challenge.”