Baraka will appear at Solomon event in Jersey City (Updated)

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka will “be a special guest” at an event on July 29  for Jersey City Councilman James Solomon and City Councilman Frank Gilmore, who is seeking a second term in Ward F.

But that doesn’t mean Baraka is supporting Solomon for mayor.

Mark DiIonno, a spokesman for Baraka, told the New Jersey Globe that Baraka “is not endorsing anyone in the Solomon race and is not stumping for him, but simply going to the event.”

A press release from Solomon’s campaign stated that “the event comes as Solomon and his slate continue to build momentum in their campaign to bring change to Jersey City.”

As a candidate for governor in last month’s Democratic primary, Baraka came within 577 votes of winning Jersey City against Steve Fulop, the city’s three-term mayor; the nominee, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), finished third with 17.5% of the vote.

Gilmore endorsed Baraka in the governor’s race, and the Newark mayor carried Ward F by eighteen percentage points, 47%-29% over Fulop.   Gilmore and Solomon have endorsed each other.

Fulop has not endorsed a candidate in the November non-partisan election to succeed him.

A Ward E city councilman, Solomon did not take sides in the gubernatorial primary.  Fulop won Ward E, which he represented on the council from 2005 to 2013 by 24 points; Baraka and Sherrill received 22% in Ward E, with Baraka finishing just a few votes ahead of the four-term congresswoman.

Solomon endorsed the winning candidates in the six-way 32nd district contest for State Assembly, including Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and former Murphy administration official Katie Brennan.

Baraka won Ward A by fifteen points; Fulop carried Ward C by ten points and Ward D by fourteen.  In Ward B, Fulop outpolled Baraka by less than one-tenth of one percent.

The race for mayor – the first open-seat contest since 2001 – also includes former Gov. James E. McGreevey, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea, former Board of Education President Mussab Ali, and City Council President Joyce Watterman.

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this story included an incorrect headline that Baraka was stumping for Solomon.