Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) has won the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 10th congressional district despite tragically passing away two months ago.
Payne Jr. had held his seat in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District for more than a decade. The deceased lawmaker, who was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, suffered a fatal heart attack and passed away on April 24 in Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Payne’s demise was a month after the filing deadline for the primary campaign in New Jersey. He was the only candidate to register.
Payne had represented New Jersey’s congressional district since 2012, serving six straight terms before his death. According to the New York Post, Payne’s father, Donald Milford Payne, was the first Black lawmaker to represent New Jersey in Congress after his 1989 election.
Dead man running: Deceased congressman wins election in New Jersey https://t.co/v4MOqKMPWO
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 5, 2024
New Jersey’s election rules dictate that Payne cannot be replaced on the ballot. Instead, a special primary election will be held on July 16, and a special general election will be held in September for voters in the district to decide who will serve the remainder of this term.
The winner of the special primary election will take office next January and represent the district until the end of 2027.
Eleven Democrats have already announced their candidacy for the upcoming special election. Among the democrats are Newark City Council President LaMonica Mclver, Rutgers law professor Eugene Mazo, East Orange Councilwoman Brittany Claybrooks and Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker.
Although 11 Democrats are running for Payne Jr’s seat, only one Republican, Carmen Bucco, has filed to run in the district.
A Republican has not won in New Jersey’s 10th congressional district since 1946, and no Democratic nominee has received less than three-quarters of the vote in the last two decades.
Payne is survived by his wife, Bea Payne, and triplets, Donald III Payne, Yvonne Payne, and Jack Payne.
Payne is not the first member of a congress to win an election posthumously. Other deceased lawmakers have achieved election victories, including Nick Begich (D-AK), former Missouri Senator-Elect Mel Carnahan (D) and Patsy Mink (D-HI).