According to new data released by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today, antisemitic incidents rose 73% in New Jersey in 2019, reaching 345 total incidents – the most ever recorded in the state and the second-highest number recorded in any state across the country last year.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small used a web ad to urge voters to oppose the Atlantic City referendum question:

At-Large Paterson Councilwoman Lilisa Mimms ran against 3rd Ward Councilman Bill McKoy in 2016. The Paterson Times chronicled her kickoff thus:

“Mr. Bill McKoy you are officially stamped expired,” roared Mimms inside a room packed with approximately 200 supporters at the Bonfire Mofongo House as the projector screen behind her switched to a picture of the incumbent councilman with the word “expired” in red letters stamped on his image. “When something is expired that means it’s time to be taken off the shelf. It’s time to be taken out of the seat.”

A lot’s changed in four years. Having lost that 3rd Ward race, Mimms won an at-large seat in 2018.

That same year, At-Large Councilman Alex Mendez gave up his seat to run an unsucccessful campaign for mayor.

Mimms this year backs the reelection of old rival McKoy.

But the comebacking Mendez is intent on reminding 3rd Ward voters how she felt about the councilman in 2016.

Challenging McKoy for his 3rd Ward seat, the former citywide councilman is using Mimms’ words against her endorsed candidate in a video circulated by his allies.

“They’re using it as a low blow,” McKoy told InsiderNJ. “She’s since apologized. I beat her four years ago. I beat Mendez in 2012, and I will beat him again.

“It’s a sharp knife,” the councilman added of the video. “The voters rejected her. I beat her soundly. We’ve since sat down and that’s irrelvant now.”

He noted how his own rivalry with Mayor Andre Sayegh changed after the 2018 election when he became an ally of the man who defeated him the mayor’s race, who now backs his reelection against Mendez.

Politics, in fact, changes things.

Read Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 5/12

Orange elections?

They still haven’t cracked 3,000 votes received.   “Absent a few big days, we won’t,” said a source.  “Frankly, I don’t know if we’ll get to 3,000 CITYWIDE. That would be an approx. reduction of 25%.”

Mayor Marty Small led the “no” vote caravan through the streets of Atlantic City, with a defiant stop in front of the house of Bob McDevitt, leader of the opposition.

Parade participants included Craig Callaway, Councilpeople Dunston, Zia, Delgado, Tibbitt, Kurtz, and bunch of community people. Also present: Pamela Thomas-Fields, who’s running against Small for mayor in the Democcratic Primary.

Ventnor has a municipal election tomorrow, but the victors are a bit predictable.  From Downbeach.com:

Tuesday, May 12 is election day in Ventnor City. The incumbent Imagine Ventnor Team of Beth Holtzman, Lance Landgraf and Tim Kriebel are running unopposed for a second 4-year term on the Board of Commissioners.

From NJ.com: Gov. Phil Murphy inexplicably pulled his nominations late Friday of Janna Chernetz, Tri-State Transportation Campaign deputy director and Michael Beson, a Monmouth County businessman who was his first pick for the transit board in March 2019.

From a source in Atlantic City: 1 is heavy. That looks good for yes. 6th is always strong. 3 is heavy for no. 5 is pacing average. Usually 50% of 6. 5-2 has a building called Ocean Club that needs to perform strong for the yes. I do not see that as of today. Depends which districts are performing well in 4 to see how that affects the big picture. 2 is another strong no ward.

For more on the actual numbers to date (or as of Saturday) please go here.