Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said on Thursday, December 20th that he believes Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones is a “perfect fit” to serve as New Jersey State Democratic Party Chairman should the position open up and the opportunity become available. The 11 Democratic Mayors of Essex County shared the sentiments expressed by DiVincenzo.

“I have known LeRoy Jones for decades, served with him when we were both on the Freeholder Board and relied on his strategic intuition as my campaign manager. LeRoy was groomed for leadership by the late Phil Thigpen and has done a masterful job making the Democratic Party even stronger in Essex County and having its influence felt throughout New Jersey,” DiVincenzo said. “LeRoy has experience in local, county and state government, has demonstrated his leadership ability by delivering big wins for the Democratic Party and, most importantly, is a unifier who listens to everyone. If the opportunity becomes available, he will be a great leader for the New Jersey Democratic Party.

“Essex County has the largest number of Democratic voters in New Jersey and produces the largest plurality of Democratic votes in every election. Any Democratic candidate running for a statewide office needs the support of Essex County to win. It only makes sense that should an opening exist someone from Essex be the State Chairman,” DiVincenzo said.

Joining the County Executive in his support of Jones are 11 Essex County Democratic Mayors, including all the Democratic mayors elected in partisan elections, including Ted Green from East Orange, Tony Vauss from Irvington, Dwayne Warren from Orange, Ed Meinhardt from Livingston, Robert Jackson from Montclair, Michael Venezia from Bloomfield, Cheryl Burstein from Millburn and Robert Parisi from West Orange and Victor DeLuca from Maplewood and Democratic Mayors-Elect James Spango from Roseland and John Kelley from Caldwell.

The County Executive touted Jones’ government experience as a former Business Administrator in East Orange, Essex County Freeholder and four-term Assemblyman. Jones also has been DiVincenzo’s co-campaign manager (along with Philip Alagia, the Executive’s Chief of Staff).

Under Jones’ stewardship, the Essex County Democratic Committee has delivered large voting pluralities in key elections. In November 2018, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez won Essex with a vote plurality of 140,531 and District 11 Congresswoman-Elect Mikie Sherrill and District 7 Congressman-Elect Tom Malinowski were elected in traditionally strong Republican districts because of the votes provided by Essex Democrats. Also in November 2018, Democratic mayors were elected in the Republican strongholds of Roseland and Caldwell. When Governor Phil Murphy was elected in 2017, he won Essex County with a plurality of 98,837 votes.