President Joe Biden and two incumbent North Jersey congressmen, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), have won the Bergen County Democratic convention uncontested.
The 87-year-old Pascrell is set to face a primary challenger in Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, but Khairullah has not yet officially launched a campaign and did not compete at today’s convention. Two other potential challengers, Paterson Mayor André Sayegh and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon), both decided against campaigns.
Gottheimer, meanwhile, has long frustrated some progressive Democrats with his moderate political stances, but he hasn’t faced a primary challenge since he easily defeated then-Glen Rock Councilwoman Arati Kreibich in 2020.
Also winning today’s convention uncontested were Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton and County Commissioners Steven Tanelli (D-North Arlington) and Tracy Silna Zur (D-Franklin Lakes) for another term in New Jersey’s largest county.
The six candidates’ wins mean they’ll have the official Bergen County Democratic line for re-election – that is, assuming Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown)’s federal lawsuit to strike down the line isn’t successful.