One Black pastor in Newark says incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is taking the Black vote for granted.
Polls show Menendez, who is a Democrat running for re-election, and Republican candidate Bob Hugin will be in a close race when voters go to the polls next Tuesday for the midterm elections. Heated debates, mudslinging campaign ads and false accusations have plagued the race.
However, Bishop Jethro James of Paradise Baptist Church in Newark, who also serves as leader of a coalition of more than 85 other Black pastors in New Jersey, says Menendez doesn’t realize he has to earn the Black vote.
Hugin recently attend a service to speak to James’ congregation, but James said he didn’t receive a call from Menendez’s campaign to visit his church until Hugin’s visit. James, who is a registered Independent, said he was also questioned as to why a Republican spoke at the church.
“The Democrats have been taking the African-American vote for granted for too long,” James said in a recent published interview. “It’s an insult. Some folks in the two-party system think this is like a political plantation: ‘You do what we say.’ We are long past that.”
James added that he has invited Menendez several times but he was a no-show.
The situation comes at a time when Black New Jerseyans continue to question state Democrats’ dedication to African-Americans. Several groups, including the NAACP, recently held a rally for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to be held accountable to the 94 percent of Black voters who elected him into office.
Organizers said that nine months into his administration, Murphy has not focused on critical issues facing Black New Jerseyans, and they want him to take action on racial justice issues that need immediate attention.
