“As we mourn the loss of Congressman Payne, we can look to the future with optimism, knowing we are sending someone with the courage and dignity of McIver in his place. Payne would be proud and I promise to do whatever I can to make it happen. In our democracy, there are no more engaged advocates or committed voters than the Black women of America. It’s an honor, therefore, to endorse someone who would be the first Black woman to represent the people of Newark in the halls of Congress. I am beyond confident that if elected, McIver will be able to hit the ground running along the same trail Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman blazed before her. McIver is in that mold, she is a proven leader, a compassionate public servant and she is a steward of our collective values – community, opportunity, equality, and justice. It is only fitting that she follows in Payne Jr.’s footsteps from City Council President to Washington D.C.”