BY WALTER ELLIOTT
PHOTOS BY LEV D. ZILBERMINTS
NEWARK – It is rare that candidates for governor made at first seemingly cameo appearances at a larger event – but that is what Ras Baraka, Sheena Collum, Stephen Sweeney and Stephen Zielinski did here at Essex County College’s Harry J. Smith Hall for an hour April 26.
Organizers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convention for Justice and Resistance invited the 11 major party candidates plus at least Green Party to make opening statements and traded views before an estimated 180 people for an hour that Saturday.
Baraka, Sweeney and, in a fashion, Steve Fulop answered the convention’s call. All three are vying for Democratic Party voters’ June 10 primary nod to run for governor in Nov. 4’s General Election.
Sweeney (D-Pennsauken) was the first to take his Smith stage dais seat. The 10-year state senator and former senate president was also citing his general vice presidency of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers for experience.
Baraka (D-Newark) received a sustained round of applause when he took his seat in what some may consider his home crowd. The lifelong Newarker, in his third term as mayor, came to be chief executive of New Jersey’s largest city by way of Central High School principal, at-large and South Ward Councilman 2005-06, 2010-14 and as deputy mayor 2002-05.
Collum (D-South Orange) took the stage to represent Fulop (D-Jersey City). The outgoing Jersey City mayor is the only primary candidate to name a lieutenant governor running mate as of press time. South Orange’s first woman mayor, in her fourth term, is also executive director of the American Planning Association.
None of the five Republican Party primary candidates answered that call. State Sen. John Bramnick (R-Westfield) had reportedly said he was planning to attend – but had not arrived when Convention president and People’s Organization for Progress Chairman Lawrence “Larry” Hamm called time at 2:10 p.m.
Neither candidate with Democratic State Committee nor Republican Party Organization support had appeared. Nor did one Democratic candidate whose support is in part from a major union’s political action committee made the debate.
There was union representation on both sides of the Smith hall stage. Charles Hall, President of Retail, Warehouse and Department Store Union Local 108, of Maplewood, joined POP’s Ingrid Hill in asking candidates questions. The four candidates temporarily replaced officers of International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21 of Springfield, Union County.
Green Party’s Zielinski, from four “minor party” or independent candidates, also answered the call. He was the Green Party assembly candidate for the 12th State Legislative District.
The Robbinsville solar energy consultant, however, said he could only stay to make his opening statement. Saturday is the fourth anniversary of his father’s death – and his family holds an annual remembrance.
The three remaining party candidates fielded questions just discussed at the surrounding convention, including reparations, the economy and affordable housing.
