Two more Democrats have joined the race for State Assembly in South Jersey on a slate with gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop: Brian Everett, an assistant dean at Rutgers University-Camden in the 4th district, and Rasham Prailow, a former White House intern in the Obama administration in the 5th.

“I’m excited about the candidacy of both Brian and Rashan and I’m looking forward to helping both of them get the resources and guidance they will need to run successful races in 2025,” Fulop stated.  “The only way to bring change to New Jersey is to make our elections more competitive so the party bosses can no longer handpick legislators. There is no question that primaries are healthy for both the party and for the candidates, and I believe both Brian and Rashan will demonstrate that.”

Everett, a member of URA-AFT Local 1766 and Gloucester Township resident, will take on freshmen Daniel Hutchison (D-Gloucester Township) and Cody Miller (D-Monroe) in the Democratic primary.

“New Jersey needs fresh ideas and new perspectives in state government to confront the major challenges facing our communities, and I’m so excited to run for State Assembly alongside a truly inspiring leader in Steve Fulop who is fighting to deliver the change we need,” Everett said. “As an educator, a union member, and someone dedicated to solutions I’m ready to share my vision with the people of the 4th district.”

Prailow worked for Capital One and Deloitte Consulting and now chairs Lead-Free NJ, a non-profit working to protect New Jerseyans from lead exposure.  He’s a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown Business School.

He’ll face incumbents William Spearman (D-Camden) and William Moen (D-Bellmawr).

“I’ve always been guided by a belief in the power of public service and a desire to give back to my community, so the opportunity to run for State Assembly alongside a leader who shares those values in Steven Fulop is something I could not pass up,” said Prailow. “I look forward to sharing my vision for a more equitable state government with my neighbors in Camden and throughout the 5th Legislative District.”

Fulop began recruiting Assembly candidates in April, and has pledged to spend $10 million to recruit candidates who would be independent of party leaders.

Earlier this week, he announced that Evesham Councilman Eddie Freeman III would run with him in the 8th district, which is currently represented by one Democrat and one Republican.  The 8th is among the most politically competitive districts in the state.

The Fulop team could still add running mates for Everett and Prailow.

The last real Democratic primary in South Jersey legislative races was in 1979 when Rep. Jim Florio (D-Runnemede) wanted to take control of the Camden Democratic organization from Angelo Errichetti, a state senator and the mayor of Camen.

The fight between the two had been brewing for several years.  In 1978, Errichetti backed former State Treasurer Richard Leone for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, while Florio endorsed retired New York Knicks star Bill Bradley.  Bradley carried Camden County by a 65%-27% margin, an embarrassing loss for Errichetti.

Errichetti was at the height of his political power and the fight with Florio was vicious and very personal.    His slate ran on the Camden County Democratic organization line; the off-the-line candidates ran as the “Florio Democratic Team.”

Both factions ran full slates of candidates in three legislative districts and for the Camden County Board of Freeholders.  Florio had the backing of the Camden County Democratic Chairman Michael Keating and Cherry Hill Democratic Municipal Chairman Lewis Katz.  Errichetti had the support of State Sen. Joseph Maressa (D-Waterford), powerful Freeholder William Simon, and former Democratic County Chairman James Joyce.

In the 4th legislative district, four-term incumbents Kenneth Gewirtz (D-Sewell) and Francis Gorman (D-Gloucester City) lost their seats to Florio Team members Daniel Dalton and Dennis Riley by more than 4,000 votes.  Dalton was Florio’s top congressional staffer in New Jersey and Riley was an assistant county counsel in Gloucester.

Errichetti’s candidates, Assemblymen Ernest Schuck (D-Barrington) and Walter Rand (D-Camden) outdistanced the Florio-backed challengers, Camden City Councilman Daniel Ciechanowsi and Reno Domenico, a Camden city school official, by more than 2,000 votes in the 5th district, which include the city of Camden.

Next door in the Cherry Hill-based 6th district, a pair of three-term assemblywomen, Barbara Berman (D-Cherry Hill) and Mary Keating Croce (D-Pennsauken), ran with the Florio Team.  They defeated former Camden County Freeholder Director M. Allan Vogelson and Camden County Treasurer John Gasparre by nearly 7,000 votes.

In the race for three freeholder seats, the organization backed incumbents Michael Hayes and Hilliard Moore, along with Bellmawr Mayor Joseph Petruzzi.   A third incumbent, Edward Sayers, ran on the Florio team, along with Cherry Hill Mayor Maria Barnaby Greenwald, and Wayne Bryant, an attorney from Lawnside.

Greenwald was the top vote-getter, and the Florio Team won the freeholder primary by nearly 2-1.

The epilogue is better known: Errichetti was convicted on bribery and extortion charges stemming from the Abscam scandal and forfeited his mayoral post and Senate seat.  He was sentenced to six years in prison.  Florio spent fifteen years in Congress and four as governor.

Four Hudson lawmakers – Barbara McCann (D-Jersey City), John Allen (D-Hoboken), Jessica Ramirez (D-Jersey City), and Julio Marenco (D-North Bergen) – have committed to running with Fulop.