McIver defeats unheralded primary foe in NJ-10

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark) has won renomination in the 10th congressional district, the New Jersey Globe projects, defeating obscure Democratic primary opponent Lawrence Poster.

As of 10:03 p.m. and with around three-quarters of the vote counted, McIver has 86% of the vote to Poster’s 14%. GOP voters nominated Carmen Bucco, a perennial candidate and tailor who was the only Republican to file for the seat.

McIver was first elected to Congress in 2024, after Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-Newark) died in office at the age of 65. Then the president of the Newark City Council, McIver easily won a crowded special election primary – the real contest in such a heavily Democratic district – with the support of her mentor, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and most other local elected officials.

It wasn’t until last year, though, that the 39-year-old McIver became a nationally known figure. After an oversight visit at the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark descended into chaos, the Trump administration charged McIver with assaulting federal officers, charges that McIver has vociferously denied and made ongoing efforts to get thrown out entirely.

But that legal battle hasn’t had any political downsides for McIver back in the 10th district, a majority-Black seat encompassing parts of Newark and Jersey City, and their suburbs. State and national Democrats alike have stood by McIver and fought attempts to censure her or throw her out of Congress; there was never any real threat back at home of a serious primary challenge.

That didn’t stop Poster, a consultant from West Orange, from launching a bid against her. A political unknown before this year, Poster didn’t mention McIver in his campaign materials, saying instead that his reason for running was to “fight for the soul of America.”