TRENTON, NJ — Democratic Newark City Council Speaker LaMonica McIver defeated Republican small business owner Carmen Bucco in a race in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District that was opened due to the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. in April.
McIver will serve the remainder of Payne’s termwhich ends in January. She and Bucco will get a second chance on the November ballot for the full term.
McIver said in a statement Wednesday that she stands on the “shoulders of giants,” Payne as the most important among them.
Looking ahead to the November election, she said the right to make choices about reproductive health was on the agenda, as was whether the economy should benefit wealthy or “hardworking Americans.”
“I will fight because the purpose of politics and the purpose of our vote is to give the people in our communities and in our country a powerful voice,” she said.
Bucco congratulated McIver on the win in a statement, but said he was looking forward to revenge in November.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said in an email. “We still have a second chance to make District 10 great again!”
Who are LaMonica McIver and Carmen Bucco?
McIver emerged as the Democratic candidate in a crowded field in July’s special election. She has served on the City Council of New Jersey’s largest city since 2018, has also worked for Montclair Public Schools as a human resources director, and plans to focus on affordability, infrastructure, abortion rights and “protecting our democracy,” she told The Associated Press earlier this summer.
Bucco describes himself on his campaign website as a small business owner influenced by his upbringing in the foster system. He cites support for law enforcement and ending corruption as key issues.
The 10th District is in a heavily Democratic and predominantly black area in northern New Jersey, where Republicans outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1.
It’s been a turbulent year for Democrats in New Jersey, where the party dominates the state legislature and the congressional delegation.
Developments included: the conviction on federal bribery charges of U.S. Senator Bob Menendezwho has denied the allegations, and the demise of the so-called county party line — a system whereby local political leaders give their preferred candidates a favorable position on the primary ballot.
Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who is running for the Menendez seatand other Democrats filed a federal lawsuit challenging the practice as part of his campaign to oust Menendez, who has resigned since his conviction.
