Atkins keeps Roselle Democratic chairmanship after second leadership vote

After a court-ordered revote on Friday, Assemblyman Reginald Atkins was re-elected Roselle Democratic municipal chairman., defeating Councilwoman Denise Wilkerson by three votes, 20-17.

This is the latest issue in a local civil war that began when former Assemblyman Jamel Holley challenged incumbent Donald Shaw in the Democratic mayoral primary.  Atkins and Wilkerson supported Shaw, but Holley’s faction captured sixteen of the borough’s 38 county committee seats.  Holley wound up backing Atkins for municipal chairman and was elected first vice chairman.

Superior Court Judge Mark Ciarrocca ordered a do-over election last month after finding that that the local county committee did not vote to fill two vacant county committee seats that might have affected the outcome of a June reorganization vote.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assemblywoman Linda Carter (D-Plainfield), the Union County Democratic chairman and vice chair, respectively, ran the reorganization meeting.  Scutari brought in an attorney from the Genova Burns law firm  to set the rules.

Wilkerson and Councilman Brandon Bernier alleged in a lawsuit filed in July that Atkins did not have a majority of votes to secure the party leadership post after the June 6 primary election.  Wilkerson wanted to challenge Atkins, the incumbent and a Democratic assemblyman, for the post.

In a contested race for county committee in Ward 1, District 2, Atkins and challenger Aida Villeda finished in a  tie resulting in a vacancy; it was not enough for Villeda to have withdrawn from the race after Election Day.  The remainder of the county committee should have voted to fill that seat and another tie in Ward 2, District 4, where Robin Frieson and Johnny Davis were also tied after the election.

A vote last night gave Atkins an 18-16 victory to return to his seat on the county committee, and Frieson won 19-16 after that.

“Our Borough is clearly divided, and in the midst of our Borough’s clear divisions, it becomes apparent that an opportunity lies before us: to bridge these gaps, and in doing so, cultivate a strengthened and more inclusive community,” Atkins said.  “By embarking on this collective journey, we open the doors to a win-win situation, benefiting each and every one of us.”

The election offers a bit of a political comeback for Holley, who gave up his Assembly seat to unsuccessfully challenge Joseph Cryan (D-Union) in the 2021 Democratic primary for State Senate.  He narrowly lost to Shaw, but as vice chairman of the Roselle Democratic Party, he became the highest-ranking Democratic official in the state to endorse Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for the Democratic presidential nomination against Joe Biden.

“Our Democratic Party on the national stage, county and local levels over the last several years has taken on tremendous challenges both from outside and within the party. I believe if we are going to be a model of a party that values its constituents, and deeply care about representation, we must heal the divide by coming together. I believe this is the best way forward.”