NJ 28th Primary Election Results 2021: Rice Wins, AP Says – Patch.com
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to pick Democratic and Republican candidates for state Senate in New Jersey’s 28th District as part of the 2021 primary election. The district includes Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Newark and Nutley.
According to the Associated Press (AP), incumbent Sen. Ronald Rice has been projected as the winner of the Democratic contest.
With 140 out of 157 districts reported, here are the unofficial results as of 10:40 p.m. on Tuesday. NOTE: The AP doesn’t tabulate totals for uncontested races.
DEMOCRAT (vote for one)
- Ronald Rice – 7,301 votes (92.3%)
- Quadir Selby – 609 votes (7.7%)
REPUBLICAN (vote for one)
- Frank Contella – uncontested
Veteran senator Ronald Rice faced a challenge from Quadir Selby, a small business owner in Irvington, for the Democratic Party nomination. Frank Contella was the only candidate to appear on the ballot for the Republican Party nomination (learn more about the candidates below).
RONALD RICE
Rice served on the Newark Police Department for eight years before entering politics. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Rutgers University, and is the chair of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus. He has served on the Newark City Council, and has been a Democratic County Committee member since 1976.
Rice was elected to his current senate post in 1986. Since then, he has sponsored legislation in the areas of criminal justice, healthcare, affordable housing, tenant rights, employee rights and education.
He’s recently spoken on issues such as policing – decrying the prevalence of deadly high-speed car chases – race relations and the public use of park space.
Rice went on record in opposition to recreational marijuana legalization before New Jersey voters approved it last year, but he has been a vocal supporter of decriminalizing cannabis in the name of social justice.
QUADIR SELBY
Selby, a 44-year-old business owner from Irvington, has never been elected to office. But he recently told Patch that issues in the 28th district such as “high property taxes, lack of gainful employment, crime and an abundance of impoverished communities” inspired him to run for the state senate.
“It’s time to get out of the 80’s and 90’s way of thinking and this snail pace way of politics,” Selby said. “This is no longer our grandparents Democratic party, and just like they were the voice and passions of their then generation this is our and we can fully with respect and humbled honor take it from here.”
He added:
“We like so many other districts all across this state are so far behind the curve in creating meaningful legislation that benefits not just the financial or politically empowered, but for those common folk, average regular hard working citizens who just want – and deservingly so – a higher standard of living, a greater quality of life, a guaranteed education and free health care, the ability to trust those who swore to protect and serve, a more fair and inclusive district where we continue to open doors to success for all those – man, woman and child – who work hard day in and day out with just a dream to be great at something, and continue to fight for women’s rights, gay rights and the right of all those tired of living in the shadows.”
Watch Selby’s campaign video here. See his candidate profile with Patch here.
FRANK CONTELLA
Frank Contella, a business owner in Nutley, was the only candidate to appear on the ballot for the Republican Party nomination.
Contella was a Republican candidate for the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2017. He was also a Republican candidate for the District 28 seat in 2013. He currently serves as an alternate member of the Nutley Planning Board.
Contella’s experience includes work as the founder of Frankie Rocksalt LLC and as a radio show host for Common Sense NJ Talk Radio, according to Ballotpedia.
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