Calabrese seriously considering entering NJ-9 race – New Jersey Globe

The field for the late Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson)’s congressional seat could grow still larger, with Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park) strongly considering a campaign, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Calabrese, a 38-year-old assemblyman who comes from a formidable political family in Cliffside Park, spent time discussing his options yesterday with party leaders in the 9th congressional district and will likely make a decision today. Calabrese did not respond to a request for comment from the Globe.

Pascrell died just two days ago, but because state law requires a new Democratic nominee for the November general election be in place by August 29, Democrats in his district are having to move exceedingly fast in the race to succeed him. Passaic, Bergen, and Hudson Democratic county committeemembers are set to meet for a convention next week, likely either on August 27 or August 29.

Three candidates – State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon), Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon), and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson), all of whom represent the same Paterson-based legislative district – have already said they’ll run.

Two other notable names, Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur (D-Franklin Lakes) and Paterson Mayor André Sayegh, are looking at the race as well. Zur and Calabrese are emerging as the two main prospective candidates from Bergen County, which makes up a little under half of the seat; they’re also the only two potential white contenders in the plurality-Hispanic seat.

It remains to be seen how Bergen County Democratic committeemembers, who are likely to make up the largest county bloc at the eventual convention, will approach the race. They could support a Bergen candidate like Zur or Calabrese and attempt to win a county-on-county showdown; they could go along with Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie in supporting Sumter; or they could back a different Passaic candidate like Wimberly or Pou.

Whoever wins the convention will immediately advance to the general election; there’s no time to schedule a special election that would involve Democratic primary voters weighing in. In November, the new nominee will face Republican nominee Billy Prempeh, who lost to Pascrell 55%-44% in 2022.