Congressman Donald Payne, a man generally known as soft-spoken and unassuming, rolled out some powerfully enthusiastic endorsements at a rally held Thursday at the Union Chapel AME Church in Newark, NJ.  The principal guest of the occasion was Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina.  Clyburn is a personal friend of Payne’s and among the most powerful Congressional Democrats in the House of Representatives and serves as House Majority Whip.

Dubbed the “Rally for Progress,” Payne sought to exhibit his progressive credentials to an audience that was primarily made up of union workers and labor activists.

Congressman Clyburn spoke at length about Payne’s record and his personal character, describing his relationship with Payne’s late father, who he credited with helping shape his career and directing it on a trajectory for success.  Clyburn praised Payne’s advocacy for workers and working families in his district, but also discussed initiatives such as capping the cost of insulin to a monthly $35 limit.

Diabetes, as a topic, featured prominently during the night’s rally, and the crushing costs of medical care for those who suffer from it.  Clyburn’s late wife had diabetes, and Congressman Payne himself suffers from it as well.  Payne mentioned the ulcers which have appeared on his feet take months to heal, and when they do, another reappears, and the struggle continues.

For patients without insulin, Payne said, the only alternative is death.

Clyburn, in support of Payne, said that insulin manufacturers would continue to profit under the $35 a month proposal, and that the medicine has been around for a century—there is nothing new to research or develop, he said, so the costs should not be increasing the way that they have been.

While championing his friend, Clyburn said that his father had been a minister and he had considered following in those footsteps.  While he had chosen another path, he referenced Matthew 25:45 in the course of his speech with respect to Payne’s record for helping families.  The verse reads, “Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” 

Among those in the audience were New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr., State Senator Joe Cryan (D-Union) (pictured, right), Newark Councilwoman LaMonica McIver, CWA Political Director Chris Estevez, Hillside Mayor Dahlia Vertreese (pictured, below), 32BJ SEIU members, New Jersey Working Families Director Sue Altman, Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller who also serves as NJEA president, and South Ward Democratic Chairman Patrick Council.

The Democratic primary election for CD-10 is proving to be a race to determine which candidate is the most progressive choice.  For Payne, he has the advantage of his incumbency and record to stand on.  Running against him are Akil Khalfani, a professor and author, and Imani Oakley, an attorney and constituent advocate. 

Oakley had worked on behalf of New Jersey Working Families, a powerful progressive group in the Garden State, however, Altman appeared at Payne’s rally, firmly and enthusiastically endorsing the congressman. 

“New Jersey Working Families is very, very proud to support Donald Payne,” Altman said.  “We’re normally known for supporting challengers to incumbents, but this time we did something different and we proudly supported the incumbent. All elected office is about public service. It is not about razzle dazzle. It’s not about who’s the best campaigner, and it should not be about who’s the best fundraiser. It should be about the person who knows their districts.” 

Altman said that Payne and his family had been serving the district for decades.  “I also care, as the head of New Jersey Working Families, about the congressman’s progressive credentials, and Congressman Payne has extraordinarily solid progressive credentials.” 

She praised Payne’s efforts working with NJWF on environmental issues. “At the same time other incumbent Democratic congressmen north of here were working against the Biden agenda, Congressman Payne stood side by side with us and other progressive organizations to see that agenda–he didn’t quite get it across the finish line–but he worked in the back to make sure it had a chance, I know he’s not going to stop fighting for that.” 

For those in need of clarification, Altman’s veiled swipe at Congressman Josh Gottheimer demonstrated that she was not beholden to party brand, and Gottheimer’s battles with CD-5-based progressive organizations are well known and bitter. 

Spiller spoke of Payne in glowing terms.  “On any issue, whether it’s environment, guns, school support, a township needing infrastructure support, or whether it’s just listening, he’s committed to serving.  When somebody shows you what they’re made of, and that they’re willing to stand with you, you’ve got to stand there with him. There’s a lot on the line, and a lot we need to tackle. And it starts honestly, with the ability and rights of others. Every single person here knows it.” 

When Payne went up to speak at the podium, he hailed his friend Congressman Clyburn and shared stories of the Biden campaign trail before circling back to his own bid to win the primary.  Addressing the audience members, many wearing the purple shirts of 32BJ SEIU, he said, “Let me just say that I’m humbled that I’m in a country where labor unions built this place.  I have made sure that our people have some quality of life, some dignity of work, and continue to move in a progressive fashion in this country.” 

While Payne emphasized the need for his supporters to turn out to vote on Primary Day, he also looked ahead to November—assuming he will win—as a buttress and defense against the Republicans.  “The only way that this country will move ahead is if we are open to ideas, and make commitments to all of our people, that everyone should have the same rights and dignity.  I will continue every day that I’m on the floor of the House of Representatives to do that, and these are the kinds of values that our party needs.  Seeing all of you here today gives me hope that we can do exactly that.  I know this is a challenging time in our country, but we will not just lay down and go away without fighting.  Too much is at stake.  It is up to us to stand up and say that we will not allow an out-of-control, extreme Republican Party to take over Washington.” 

Payne’s campaign represents a unique nexus, at the very least, of the political establishment (the presence of LeRoy Jones (pictured with Vertreese below), Mayor Ras Baraka, and Congressman Clyburn lending Payne iron-clad establishment support) and leading voices of a frequently antagonistic progressive wing of New Jersey’s political spectrum appearing to fall into solid alignment in favor of the congressman.  Should this alliance pan out with Payne’s performance in the primary, his position in the state will be more than formidable for any Quixotic Republican challenger.  Tuesday will demonstrate how much resonance this coalition truly has with rank-and-file Democrats, or if voter apathy lends strength to the incumbent’s challengers.