In LD35, Kenyatta Stewart - Corporation Counsel of Newark - appears to have won an Assembly seat.

That's a blow to the Passaic County Democratic Organization.

It looks like Assemblyman Al Abdel-aziz will hang on to occupy the other Assembly seat with Stewart.

Stewart is an ally of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who lost his gubernatorial bid tonight.

In the Hudson-based LD32, Ravi Bhalla and Katie Brennan (pictured above) prevailed, dealing a loss to the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

In the Hudson-based LD-33, the Stack-backed Gabe Rodriguez and Larry Wainstein won, which was the expected result, on the strength of the vaunted Stack machine.

Brennan and Bhalla Score Historic Victory Over Political Machine in New Jersey's First State-Level Race Without the County Line

Grassroots Campaign Powered by 1,000+ Donors Defeats Machine Spending of Over $1 Million

Hoboken/Jersey City – Housing expert Katie Brennan and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla won the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 32nd Legislative District, delivering a decisive blow to Hudson County’s notorious political machine in the first state-level primary since the elimination of the corrupt "county line" ballot.

The independent Democratic slate overcame more than $1 million in spending by the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) and their dark money PAC, Hudson Votes Project.

"We did it. We really did it. We just showed the whole state that the people can beat the party bosses,” said Katie Brennan, housing expert and Democratic nominee for State Assembly. “This is what democracy looks like when it's not rigged by political machines. The status quo isn’t working for too many people here in Hudson County, and now we’re gonna fix it. This wouldn’t be possible without all of our volunteers, local activists, and grassroots supporters. This win is for all of us. Now let’s get to work!”

"Did you hear that? We just sent a big message to Trenton: The era of party bosses picking our representatives is over," said Ravi Bhalla, Hoboken Mayor and Democratic nominee for State Assembly. "Tonight proves that when you give voters fair ballots and real choices, they choose leaders who will fight for them over party bosses every single time. This was always about giving power back to the people. We’re ready to make state government work for all of us. Now it’s time to deliver."

The victory comes despite the HCDO and their candidates accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests including Turnpike widening contractors, real estate lobbyists who opposed rent control in Hoboken, and other groups seeking to influence state policy. Brennan and Bhalla refused contributions from these corporate special interests and built their campaign through grassroots organizing and small dollar donors.

The race highlighted the transformative impact of eliminating New Jersey's corrupt county line system, which for decades gave political machines favorable ballot placement that effectively locked reformers and working families advocates out of the electoral process. Tonight's results demonstrate that candidates must now make their case directly to voters rather than simply courting party bosses.

Both candidates pledged to bring their independent approach to Trenton, focusing on comprehensive housing reforms to address the affordability crisis, fully funding public transit and schools, and dismantling systems of corruption that have blocked progress for working families.

"We're going to Trenton to prove that when working people have representatives who can't be bought, we can deliver real results," Brennan said. "That means housing you can afford, transit that works, schools that are fully funded, and a government that serves all of us, not just political insiders."

The 32nd Legislative District includes parts of Jersey City and all of Hoboken. The general election will be held on November 4, 2025.

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About Katie Brennan

Katie Brennan is a long-time Jersey City resident, community advocate, and nationally recognized affordable housing expert. She has worked in leadership roles at state and local housing agencies in New Jersey and New York, helped secure historic funding for affordable housing in New Jersey, and has successfully advocated for stronger protections for tenants and survivors of sexual assault.

About Ravi Bhalla

Ravi Bhalla has served as Mayor of Hoboken since 2017, following his tenure on the Hoboken City Council from 2009 to 2017. A nationally recognized civil rights attorney, he has led Hoboken to become a leader in pedestrian safety, climate resilience, and inclusive governance. Under his leadership, Hoboken has implemented innovative solutions to flooding, expanded EV charging infrastructure, and maintained perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index.