Small defeats Foley for Democratic mayoral nod in Atlantic City

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. overcame a challenge from former Assemblyman Tom Foley to win the Democratic nod to run for re-election in a place where Democrats regularly dominate general elections.

The mayor’s slate of council candidates — Councilman George Tibbitt, former Small campaign treasurer Stephanie Marshal and Small aide Bruce Weekes — defeated Foley running mates Aaron Carrington, Suhel Ahmed and Shameeka Harvey, who ran on the “True Democrat” slate.

Small made his bid for a first full term as mayor with the support of the Atlantic County Democratic Organization and many of the state’s most prominent Democrats, including Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-Newark).

Foley, a former Democratic Assemblyman and freeholder who in March said he was proud to back former President Donald Trump for a second term, ran with the backing of the Atlantic County Democratic Organization and its powerbroker, former Council President Craig Callaway.

Small was appointed to the mayorship after former Mayor Frank Gilliam resigned his post in October 2019 following a guilty plea to charges that claimed he embezzled more than $87,000 from a youth basketball league he founded.

The incumbent defeated longtime community activist Pamela Thomas-Fields last year to win the remainder of Gilliam’s unexpired term.

He’ll go on to face Republican Tom Forkin, who also ran for mayor last year.