In a second-ballot playoff, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) defeated Newark Mayor Ras Baraka 89-68 to win the state’s first-ever Hunterdon County Democratic Convention on Sunday.
On the first ballot, Baraka lost against Sherrill 81-65. With 13 votes, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) came in third, followed by former Senate President Steve Sweeney (7) and Sean Spiller (11), president of the New Jersey Education Association. Steve Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, did not cast a ballot.
Former Navy helicopter pilot Sherrill praised her previous public service, stating that she has taken more oaths to the nation than she can recall. According to the congressman, state authorities must actively invest in New Jersey, particularly in its housing and educational institutions, while also defending against President Donald Trump’s intrusions.
She informed the audience that democracy is more than simply the ability to vote and that we must demand better. A fair shot is vital to democracy.
County convention victories no longer ensure a favorable ballot position for the first time in decades. However, in addition to the possibly useful support, Sherrill can now utilize the official Hunterdon Democratic motto on the ballot.
The results demonstrated Sherrill’s grassroots strength, according to Tom Malinowski, the Democratic Chair for Hunterdon County, who referred to the county as the Iowa of New Jersey.
He told reporters, “I believe that Congresswoman Sherrill’s ability to pull this off is a significant measure of her strength in this race.”
Former congressman Malinowski added that he wasn’t shocked by Baraka’s impressive performance.
By the way, he said, “I’m not surprised that those were the top two.” Since they both, in their own unique ways, appeal to Democratic voters’ idealism and the ethos that says we must stand up to fight for and defend our ideals.
Baraka, who is arguably the most progressive contender in the campaign, expressed his excitement over finishing in second place. A week after a solid debate performance, Baraka had a strong finish. The convention on Sunday, which served as the candidates’ first real test of strength, demonstrated that Baraka is capable of playing well outside of Essex County. In a 91% white county like Hunterdon, the results are particularly noteworthy.
He told reporters, “It demonstrates that we can garner progressive votes in counties outside of Essex.” We’re going to keep running our campaign with the wonderful people of Hunterdon County, and I believe we did a terrific job here.
Despite his declaration in December that he would not participate in county conventions, Fulop attended the convention. The mayor of Jersey City distributed letters outlining his reasons for not participating in the competitions.
The plot is evolving.
