Small announces bid for re-election as Atlantic City mayor

Atlantic City Mayor Mary Small, Sr. said today that he would seek re-election in the Democratic primary.

“When you talk about a worldwide pandemic, when you talk about an uncertain economy, when you talk about survival, when you about uncertainty for the taxpayers, Mayor Small has checked that box,” Small said at his announcement today.  “I’m proud to announce that even in a pandemic, we accomplished over 90% of our goals.”

Small was serving as the city council president in October 2019 when Mayor Frank Gilliam resigned.   He won a special election in 2020, scoring large pluralities in the primary (64%-31%) and general elections (70%-30%).

“People didn’t know where Atlantic City was going to go.  It was lost,” Small said.  “I came in, I stepped up… and I steered the ship.”

Small said that “instilled confidence” in the mayors office and in local government.

The mayor announced that Stephanie Marshall, George Tibbit and Bruce E. Weekes will run on his slate for City Council at-large.

“After 20 years of supporting other candidates and volunteering in the community, I thought it was time for me to get out of my comfort zone and step up to the next level,” Marshall said.  “Women so often play important roles behind the scenes, It’s time for us to take on a greater challenge.”

Weekes said that his campaign will be “centered on economic justice.”

“My platform will advocate the need to ensure that everyone has access to resources that create opportunities,” he said.

Gilliam is scheduled to be sentenced today after pleading guilty to wire fraud for stealing $87,000 from a youth basketball program he ran.

Former Assemblyman Thomas Foley will challenge him in the primary, according to a report today from WPG Talk Radio host Harry Hurley.

The New Jersey Globe first reported on January 21 that former Mayor Lorenzo Langford is also considering entering the race.