Baraka Fundraises Amid Buzz, and Backroom Frenzy
Against an uptick of chatter around his fledgling candidacy for governor, Unite PAC, founded in support of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka‘s prioritized causes, will have a fundraiser on Sept. 18th at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
The theme?
“Moving New Jersey Forward.”
Insiders are chattering overtime.
Essentially, if they don’t live in Essex County, they are eager to point out that a Baraka 2025 gubernatorial candidacy would hurt fellow Essex resident U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11).
Two heavyweights trying to gain a statewide edge out of Essex would impair a muscled-up appearance by Sherrill, as the anticipated preference by the Essex County Democratic Committee.
In establishment circles, the nascent, upstart statewide candidacy of Baraka triggers discussions around the potential for U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) to break out in more convincing fashion, or Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) to make something happen.
What about the only truly declared candidate in the contest, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop?
Certainly, Baraka does not appear to help him, either, as two big city mayors running off the line, apparently in search of progressive, anti-establishment support, does not inure to Fulop’s (or Baraka’s) advantage.
Do Fulop and Baraka somewhat nullify each other to enable a prevailing line?
Those are the drunken cocktail conversations happening right now, in advance of the Newark Mayor’s next move.
Again, for the moment, that move finds him fundraising in his hometown next week (suggested donation $2,000; an exclusive VIP reception with the mayor $10K), with obvious statewide designs.
At least one source told InsiderNJ that heavy strategy sessions are happening in Essex between now and then.
An attempt to put the brakes on Baraka?
Maybe.
But sources near the Newark mayor describe an announcement for governor as pretty imminent. Any maneuvers to convince him not to run would have to happen now – or probably never.
There is a TOTAL RECALL OF RAS BARAKA AND HIS ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION, right now! They are ALL APPROVED! Kecia Daniels, the city clerk, is trying to block it and keep it out of the news.
How is he running for governor when he couldn’t even get the almost 400,000 residents of the city to vote him back in office?! He had 13,085 votes, that’s not even close to the number of west Ward voters alone!
I think that if he feels that he’s confident enough that the community will back him up in the election, he should very well run. He’s doing a good job at reaching out to the people with different projects and programs and appearance. Only positive people will make a difference and advance to their goal.
The worst administration in the history of newark. The only people cheering him on either they’re on the city payroll, getting grants or a piece of our city owned properties. The conditions of the indigenous people are Newark are getting worse and worse under this failed administration
#TotalRecall
@ Warrior 4 TH PPL
Get over yourself! The recall is a JOKE based off lies and personal hatred. Besides the folks leading the recall couldn’t even get enough petitions to run for office themselves but want to lead a recall! Kick Rocks!
I believe that the Mayor of Newark New Jersey , should not run for governor at this simply because the atmosphere is not right for it I believe that he should evaluate the candidates running the atmosphere in the state and then make a decision. If he makes that decision to run he will definitely have my vote. I believe he should rerun as the mayor for another term continue to move Newark forward first especially in academic performance in our traditional Public Schools, slowing down the private Charter movements in our city with the illusion of being Public Schools, look at North Carolina’s Court they determined that charter schools are not Public Schools and in Newark that is should be the same practice because they are privately ran they only have a public charter to receive the per pupil portion of the public school budget. Our elected officials in Trenton the Senate and the assembly need to move the chart to school budget from the traditional public school budget and place it in either the marijuana money budget that’s being made or the gambling pot budget that is over a billion dollars.