Dumped by Essex Dems, assemblywoman will run with Fulop – New Jersey Globe

Assemblywoman Garnet Hall (D-Maplewood) has changed her mind and will seek re-election to a second term in the State Assembly on a slate with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop using his “Democrats for Change” slogan.

Hall had initially decided not to run again after losing party support at the Essex County Democratic convention on Saturday.  She was outpolled by Newark West Ward Democratic Municipal Chairman Chigozie Onyema and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), a nine-term incumbent.

Just yesterday, Hall issued a statement announcing she was bowing out.

“I accept the result of the Essex County Democratic Convention and the will of district leaders across the 28th legislative district,” Hall said.

At the convention, Onyema received 141 votes at the convention, with Tucker finishing second with 120 votes.  Hall received 64 votes.   A screening committee had recommended Onyema and Hall.

Onyema and Hall won the Union County Democratic screening committee endorsement earlier this week, giving them the organization slogan in Hillside.  Hillside made up about 13.5% of the votes cast in the 2023 primary.

Hall, seemingly a weak incumbent with about $17,000 in her campaign warchest, could benefit by aligning herself with Fulop, who has endorsements of Democratic mayors in South Orange and Hillside.   Still, this is an uphill fight for her.

She emerged as the leading candidate just three days after Rep. Mila Jasey (D-South Orange) announced her retirement in 2023.    The 65-year-old Maplewood Democrat became deputy county clerk in 2018 after a private sector career.  She had been the Democratic municipal vice chair.

With county organization lines in place at the time, Hall acquired the Assembly seat without the convention process that began this year; she was the pick of party leaders and not the Democratic county committee in Maplewood and South Orange.

Then-Maplewood Township Committeewoman Jamaine Cripe, former Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee; and former Maplewood Township Committeewoman India Larrier had also been considered for the post after Democrats decided that the open seat in the newly-drawn district should go to Maplewood.

In the primary, Hall was the top vote-getter with 8,520, followed by Tucker at 8,237.  McGehee, who mounted an off-the-line bid, finished third with 4,025.