A publication called the New Jersey Democrat, which describes itself as “focusing on corruption, mismanagement, and malfeasance” within the Party, has a new article on the detente between former gubernatorial candidate Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee. During the primary, Baraka was one of the progressive candidates with Sherrill in the moderate Democratic lane. Election results gave Baraka a surprising second place, well ahead of fellow progressive NJEA President Sean Spiller, who garnered an embarrassing 10% of the vote. despite the use of $40 million from NJEA PAC money, courtesy of teacher union dues.

Two items jump out from the piece. For context, Sherrill has struggled to win over New Jersey Black voters, who are an essential piece of a potential Democratic win over Republican Jack Ciattarelli. It remains unclear what persuaded Baraka to give Sherrill his endorsement given their significant platform differences during the primary. New Jersey Democrat gives us one clue:

“Perhaps helping to cement the Sherrill-Baraka accord is the previously unreported deal between the Sherrill campaign and a consulting firm run by Amiri ‘Middy’ Baraka, the mayor’s brother, according to which the campaign will pay the firm at least $600,000 to help turn out the African American vote in November.”

That’s New Jersey for you.

The second item from the article regards Sherrill’s struggle to win over NJEA leaders The obstacle? Sherrill has “a previous association with the charter school movement” and chose as her running mate Dale Caldwell, currently Board Chair of the public charter College Achieve in Asbury Park and a long-time public charter school supporter:

“A number of unions and progressive groups are dissatisfied with Sherrill’s readiness to listen to their agenda. The New Jersey Education Association, for instance, has been talking to Sherrill about an endorsement all summer long, and the union is concerned over her previous association with the charter school movement. A progressive assembly candidate told TNJD that it’s clear that Team Sherrill is keeping the left at arm’s length. But because of the Ciattarelli threat, most of the groups will likely come around.”

Here’s the problem for Sherrill: She wants to win over Black voters, of whom 74% nationwide support charter schools, with a similar majority in NJ. But as she courts NJEA (which will, of course, come around), she risks alienating the very voters she needs. Meanwhile Ciattarelli is a fierce school choice supporter and is courting Black voters too. From Politico: “Jack Ciattarelli has been a little more present and a little more specific on what he might do,” said John Harmon, the founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, who has met with both candidates. He added it feels like Democrats are acting like “we’ve got a lead, we’re going to run out the clock and we’ll talk to Black people more later on the specifics.”

What is more important to Sherrill? Having access to NJEA’s war chest or appealing to Black voters? The former she’ll get anyway once Spiller et. al. stops sulking. The latter will require a platform adjustment that acknowledges voters of all races support more tweaks to our public school system than free lunch and mental health services.