Imani Oakley Statement on New NJ Congressional Map

Montclair, NJ — Imani Oakley, progressive candidate for Congress in NJ’s 10th Congressional District, issued her statement on the New Jersey’s Redistricting Commission final map Wednesday.

“From what has been released so far, it appears that the Commission’s final choice represents a victory for our campaign. As a result of our work and organizing together with our community, it looks like wewere able to keep Montclair’s historically Black 4th Ward together with other Black communities of interest,” Oakley said. “Still, many communities of color now find themselves split off from their larger communities of interest, and it is deeply unfortunate that the Democratic machine — including my opponent Donald Payne Jr. — were so willing to throw Black and Brown voters under the bus in the
name of personal political gain.”

The Redistricting Commission — which is made up of entrenched Republican and Democratic
operatives (including a sitting State Senator) — had until January 18th to finalize their congressional map proposals. Instead, they announced Monday that they would vote on a final proposal Wednesday morning.

The Democratic delegation’s map was chosen via tie-breaker.

During the ten scheduled public hearings, the Redistricting Commission heard from dozens of residents and organizations asking for a map that accurately represents New Jersey’s minority population.

“Although nearly two dozen organizations asked the Commission to endorse a racial equity map, the new congressional breakdown contains the same number of majority-minority districts as before,” Oakley said. “While establishment insiders continue to ignore voters and residents of color, my office will always be open to the people of New Jersey — both inside and outside the district— and will stand for oppressed people everywhere.”
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Imani Oakley is a long-time political organizer and pro-democracy activist running for Congress in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. The seat covers parts of Essex, Union, and Hudson counties. Her time working in New Jersey political spaces has made one thing clear: our state suffers from rabid corruption. Her campaign is dedicated to ending this system and lifting up working-class communities