Newark mayoral race: Ras Baraka projected to win reelection: AP
NEWARK, New Jersey -- Ras Baraka is projected to win his reelection bid for Newark mayor on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
Baraka faced off against seven challengers in seeking a fourth term as the chief executive of his state's largest city.
The reelection bid caps an eventful 12 months for Baraka. The contest takes place almost a year after he was arrested at a protest outside a federal immigration detention center. The charges were later dropped, and he sued the federal prosecutor at the time, alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution.
Baraka later placed second against then-U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the Democratic primary for governor. Sherrill went on to win the general election. Baraka is a Democrat, but the office of Newark mayor is nonpartisan, and candidates do not run under a party label.
The candidates challenging Baraka were artist Tanisha Garner, developer and contractor Noble Milton, community organizer Sheila Montague, community activist Debra Salters, former Newark Municipal Court administrator Nasheedah Singleton, tech entrepreneur Jhamar Youngblood and Douglas "Rodney" Davis, whose campaign platform includes ending "casual Fridays" in City Hall.
Montague placed a distant second behind Baraka in the 2022 mayoral race, receiving about 17% of the vote. In 2024, she and Salters sought the Democratic nomination to replace the late Democratic U.S. Rep. Donald Payne. They placed 7th and 11th, respectively.
Also in New Jersey, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is running for a third term against a number of challengers.
Governor Sherrill endorsed both Baraka and Sayegh.
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