Following the death of his father, U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, on March 6, 2012, Payne ran in the primary to succeed him in Congress. His father was first elected in 1988 and reelected 11 times without significant opposition.[3][4][5] Payne Jr. won the June 5, 2012, Democratic primary election, which is tantamount to election in the heavily Democratic district,[6] and the November 6, 2012, general election.[7] Payne Jr. was re-elected five times prior to his death in office in 2024.
Payne worked for the New Jersey Highway Authority from 1991 until he joined the Essex County Educational Services Commission in 1996, where he worked as the Supervisor of Student Transportation.[14]
In 2005, Payne was one of four candidates elected to the at-large seat, serving from January 1, 2006, to November 6, 2012. He finished first with 19% of the vote.[18] In 2008, he was reelected to a second term with 20% of the vote.[19] In 2011, he was reelected to a third term with 18% of the vote.[20][21]
After his father's death, Payne declared his intention to run in the special election to fill the remainder of his father's 12th term, and the regularly scheduled election for the full two-year term beginning in January 2013.[22] The primaries for both elections were held on June 5, and the general elections on November 6.
In the Democratic primary for the special election, Payne faced Ronald C. Rice (son of State Senator Ronald Rice) and Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith. He won the primary with 71% of the vote to Rice's 25% and Smith 5%.[25]
In the Democratic primary for the full term, Payne faced Rice, Smith, State Senator Nia Gill, Cathy Wright of Newark, and Dennis R. Flynn of Glen Ridge.[26] He won with 60% of the vote, to Rice's 19%, Gill's 17%. Smith, Wright, and Flynn combined for about 5% of the vote.[27]
After the election, Payne noted, "I've said that I'm following a legacy and I'm not backing away from that."[28]
In the November 6 general election, Payne defeated Republican nominee Brian C. Kelemen with 87% of the vote.[29] He ran unopposed for the special election to fill the remainder of his father's term. The 10th is a heavily Democratic, black-majority district, and Payne had effectively assured himself election with his primary victory. He is only the fourth person to represent this district since 1929.
Payne faced three minor opponents in the Democratic primary, but was handily renominated with over 91% of the vote.[30] Payne faced Republican Yolanda Dentley and two independents in the general election, and was re-elected with 85.4% of the vote.[31]
Payne was unopposed in the Democratic primary in 2016.[32] He faced Republican David Pinckney and two independents in the general election, and won with 85.7% of the vote.[33]
Payne easily dispatched his only challenger in the primary, Aaron Walter Fraser, with a margin of 91.7%–8.3%.[34] Payne would defeat Republican Agha Khan, Libertarian Scott DiRoma, and two independents in the general election, receiving 86.7% of the vote.[35]
Payne faced two challengers in the 2020 Democratic primary, but won renomination with 88.5% of the vote.[36] Then in the general election he defeated Republican Jennifer Zinone, Libertarian John Mirrione, and two independents, receiving 83.3% of the vote.[37]
Payne faced two challengers, Imani Oakley and Akil Khafani. He defeated both of them, receiving 83.3% of the vote.[38] Then in the general election he faced Republican David Pinckney, Libertarian Kendal Ludden, and two independents. He would be re-elected with 77.6% of the vote.[39]
Payne lived in Newark with his wife, Beatrice. They were the parents of triplets.[50]
On April 6, 2024, Payne was hospitalized at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center following a heart attack that his office said was a complication of diabetes.[51][52] He remained unconscious and on a ventilator until his death on April 24, at the age of 65.[53] He would posthumously win the New Jersey Primary on June 4, 2024, in which he was the only candidate on the ballot.[54]
* In 2018, Libertarian candidate Scott DiRoma achieved 0.3% of the vote. In 2020, Libertarian candidate John Mirrione achieved 0.4%. In 2022, Independent candidate Clenard J. Childress, Jr. achieved 0.3%.
^NJ.com, Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for (April 24, 2024). "N.J. congressman Donald Payne Jr. dies". nj. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ ab"Election Information"(PDF). NJ Department of State. November 4, 2014. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 6, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
^"Official Results"(PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
^ ab"Election Information"(PDF). NJ Department of State. November 8, 2016. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
^"Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
^"Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.