(Bayonne, NJ) Republican 10th Congressional District candidate Jennifer Zinone is asking incumbent Rep Donald Payne Jr. (D-10-NJ) to appear with her in a series of community sponsored debates in the three counties covered by the district.
“The Primary Campaign is over and it’s time for Rep. Payne to come out from hiding and defend his record and tell voters what he is going to do to make their lives better if he returns to Washington,” said Zinone, a 47-year old Bayonne resident.
Zinone noted that Payne’s Democratic Primary Opponent Eugene Mazo, a Rutgers professor, said the congressman “is absent and ineffective.”
“I agree with Mr. Mazo. Rep. Donald Payne is like a lot of Congressmen who don’t do much besides collect a paycheck. He takes voters and taxpayers for granted. And he needs to answer for his record,” said Zinone.
Zinone pointed out that Payne takes large amounts of campaign cash from public sector unions and trial lawyer – “which means that he will continue to support higher taxes and more regulations that cost consumers money. It’s time to send someone to Washington from the 10th district who will represent working people not political insiders.”
Payne hails from a powerful political family and succeeded his late father Donald in Congress.
The Republican candidate, making her first foray into politics, said Payne been living off the backs of taxpayers for at least 20 years thanks to his political heritage. “He’s out of touch with regular working people and small business owners- that’s the backbone of the district,” said Zinone

IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
A lifelong Bayonne resident, Zinone studied microbiology and immunology at the University of New Hampshire. She says she wants to work to improve public education and supports school choice and parental rights regarding liberal curriculum taught in schools.
“Parents have right to expect that, when their child graduates high school, that child has mastered skills sufficient to get a job in today’s economy. Unfortunately, that is not the case now,” said Zinone.
She added that throwing more public money at public schools is not the solution to improving education. “We need accountability in education, not more excuses for why students aren’t performing well,” she said.
Tax Reform & Border Security
Zinone also says she supports border security, opposes sanctuary states and supports President Trump’s tax reform policies.
“Until the Covid-19 virus hit, America’s economy was booming, more people were working than ever before in our nation’s history and good paying jobs were being created. Minorities were enjoying the benefits of a job-creating tax policy, said Zinone. “Unfortunately for the residents of CD -10, Donald Payne Jr. opposed the very tax reform that put more Blacks and Latinos to work than ever before in our history.”
Zinone, who has worked as a copywriter and in marketing communications, says she is running because: “I can’t sit on the sidelines any longer and watch as people get elected to Congress who have no clue how to help the American workers and small business owners. The career politicians in Congress have failed us. I know I can do better.”
The following municipalities comprise the 10th Congressional District: Essex County: Bloomfield (part) East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair (part;), Newark (part), Orange, South Orange, West Orange (part). Hudson County: Bayonne (part ), Jersey City (part). Union County: Hillside, Linden, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Union Township (part).