Essex County Democrats have scheduled a November 14th Special Election Convention to fill the 28th district Assembly seat left vacant by the death of Donald Tucker. Possible candidates include Tucker’s widow, Cleopatra Tucker, and Evelyn Williams, a former Newark Board of Education President and onetime Deputy Mayor. Some Democrats say that John James, the son of the Mayor, is also a possible candidate. Williams has several liabilities, according to one Newark Democratic insider. She was the School Board president when the state took over the Newark public school system in the 1980’s, and as an Essex County Jail employee in 2002, she escorted an inmate who had been a member of a major drug ring, to attend an outdoor concert. Editor’s Note: There are multiple reports over the residency of John James; one party official says he resides in the 29th district.
