Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah is expected to announce on Wednesday or Thursday that he will challenge 87-year-old Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-Paterson) in the June 4 Democratic primary in a fight that will undoubtedly focus on the war in Israel and Gaza, the New Jersey Globe has learned.
Khairullah has begun to inform party leaders of his decision following a meeting with Muslim community leaders on Friday and Saturday.
Pascrell has faced criticism from New Jersey’s Muslim community, with onetime backers of his congressional races fuming over his refusal to support a crease-fire and his alleged disinterest over Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
A meeting of local Muslim leaders on Friday initially led to Ali Aljarrah, the dynamic 25-year-old vice chairman of the New Jersey branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), to be picked as the candidate against Pascrell – he defeated Khairullah in an 8-3 vote – but circumstances changed by Saturday and another meeting led to Khairullah’s candidacy.
Two high-profile Democrats, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-Paterson) and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, had mulled primary fights with Pascrell, but both decided against running.
Last year, Pascrell defended Khairullah after the Biden administration pulled his invitation to a White House Eid al-Fitr celebration while he was on his way to Washington.