2024 New Jersey's 10th congressional district special election explained

Election Name:	2024 New Jersey's 10th congressional district special election
Country:	New Jersey
Type:	by-election
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey#District 10
Previous Year:	2022
Next Year:	November 2024
Next Election:	2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey#District 10
Election Date:	September 18, 2024
Nominee1:	LaMonica McIver
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Nominee2:	Carmen Bucco
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
U.S. Representative
Before Election:	Donald Payne Jr.
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)

The 2024 New Jersey's 10th congressional district special election will be held on September 18, 2024, to fill the vacant seat in New Jersey's 10th congressional district. The winner will serve in the United States House of Representatives for the remainder of the 118th United States Congress. The seat became vacant on April 24, 2024, when Donald Payne Jr. died following a heart attack related to complications from diabetes.^[1] The urban district is considered a safely Democratic seat; Payne Jr. had won all 7 bids for this seat with at least 77.6% of the vote.

On May 3, Governor Phil Murphy scheduled the special election for September 18, with primaries being held on July 16. This will be the first non-November special election for a vacant House seat in New Jersey since 1950 which Republican William Widnall won after incumbent Representative J. Parnell Thomas was convicted on corruption charges.^[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• LaMonica McIver, president of the Newark Municipal Council (2022–present) from the Central Ward (2018–present)^[3]

Eliminated in primary

• Derek Armstead, mayor of Linden (2014–present) and Linden Democratic municipal chair^[4]
• Brittany Claybrooks, former East Orange city councilor (2019–2023)^[5]
• John Flora, teacher and candidate for this district in 2020^[6]
• Darryl Godfrey, COO of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority^[7]
• Alberta Gordon, data engineering manager^[6]
• Eugene Mazo, Rutgers Law School professor and candidate for this district in 2020^[6]
• Shana Melius, former constituent services staffer to Donald Payne Jr.^[8]
• Sheila Montague, teacher and candidate for mayor of Newark in 2022^[8]
• Debra Salters, community activist and independent candidate for New Jersey's 29th assembly district in 2021^[6]
• Jerry Walker, Hudson County commissioner from the 3rd district (2018–present) and candidate for mayor of Jersey City in 2013^[9]

Declined

• Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark (2014–present) (running for governor in 2025, endorsed McIver)^{[10] [11]}
• Ronald Slaughter, pastor (endorsed McIver)^[12]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of June 26, 2024
Candidate	Raised	Spent	Cash on hand
	Derek Armstead (D)	$51,325	$18,875	$32,449
	Brittany Claybrooks (D)	$9,036	$6,637	$2,398
	Darryl Godfrey (D)	$67,865	$59,667	$8,197
	LaMonica McIver (D)	$90,833	$33,985	$56,847
	Shana Melius (D)	$13,126	$9,755	$4,871
Source: Federal Election Commission^[13]

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Carmen Bucco, businessman, perennial candidate, and nominee for this seat in the regular 2024 election^[14]

Results

Independents

Declared

• Russell Jenkins (One For All...), financial advisor
• Rayfield Morton (Creating Real Progress), former Orange city councilor

General election

Results

External links

Official campaign websites

• Carmen Bucco (R) for Congress
• LaMonica McIver (D) for Congress

Notes and References

1. News: Fox . Joey . Wildstein . David . Donald Payne, Six-Term Congressman From New Jersey, Dies At 65 . May 3, 2024 . New Jersey Globe . April 24, 2024 . April 24, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240424222823/https://newjerseyglobe.com/in-memoriam/donald-payne-dies-at-65/ . live.
2. Web site: Murphy will order July 16 primary, September 18 general election for Payne's seat. Wildstein. Fox. David. Joey. May 3, 2024. May 3, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
3. Web site: McIver: 'I am running for Congress'. Wildstein. David. May 6, 2024. May 6, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
4. Web site: Linden mayor collecting signatures for NJ-10 special election. Wildstein. David. May 8, 2024. May 8, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
5. Web site: Kim campaign political director will seek Payne's House seat. Wildstein. David. May 7, 2024. May 7, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
6. Web site: Here's who filed in the special election primary to replace Donald Payne Jr.. Fox. Joey. May 10, 2024. May 10, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
7. Web site: Godfrey Files For Payne's NJ-10 Seat. Wildstein. David. May 10, 2024. May 10, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
8. News: Payne staffer, former Newark mayoral candidate file to run for NJ-10. Wildstein. David. May 10, 2024. May 10, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
9. News: Hudson County Commissioner Walker says he'll run for Congress in 10th District. Heinis. John. May 8, 2024. May 8, 2024. Hudson County View.
10. Web site: The race is on for Payne's seat: Baraka doesn't want it, and Murphy must decide about a special election. Wildstein. David. April 25, 2024. April 25, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
11. Web site: Baraka backs McIver for Congress. Wildstein. David. May 6, 2024. May 6, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
12. Web site: Newark minister says he won't seek Payne's NJ-10 seat, endorses McIver. Wildstein. David. May 6, 2024. May 6, 2024. New Jersey Globe.
13. Web site: 2024 Election United States House - New Jersey 10th . fec.gov . . July 13, 2024.
14. Web site: Payne's GOP opponent says he'll run in NJ-10 special election. Wildstein. David. May 3, 2024. May 3, 2024. New Jersey Globe.