Bloomfield councilwoman endorses Malinowski

Bloomfield Councilwoman Tracy Toler-Phillips has endorsed former Rep. Tom Malinowski in the ongoing special election for New Jersey’s 111th congressional district, giving Malinowski a foothold in a town controlled by allies of Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair).

Toler-Phillips was elected to the council last year; she was one of three Steve Fulop allies to seek a council seat against party-backed candidates, and was the only one who won.

“As the granddaughter of an immigrant who escaped Nazi Germany, I was raised with a deep understanding that democracy is fragile,” Toler-Phillips said in a statement yesterday. “We must stand up to hate and authoritarianism the moment they appear. Today, I feel a profound sense of urgency – we need leaders who don’t just talk about our values, but who have lived them. This is why I am proud to support Tom Malinowski for Congress.”

Bloomfield’s mayor, Jenny Mundell, was on Gill’s Day One endorsement list, alongside dozens of other prominent Essex County Democrats. In December, Gill won the official endorsement of the Essex Democratic Committee over the then-twelve (now ten) other Democratic candidates seeking the seat.

Malinowski, though, has chipped away at that party backing in some places, earning endorsements from South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, Belleville Councilman and mayoral candidate Frank Vélez, and a handful of others who could help him compete in otherwise Gill-friendly territory.