3rd Ward resident collects signatures to run as Independent for council

Photo by Chris Sykes
Prospective East Orange 3rd Ward City Council candidate Mamie Robinson was out collecting signatures on her nominating petitions outside the Langston Hughes Elementary School polling place for the primary on Tuesday, June 6, so she can run against her fellow Democrat, current Board of Education President Bergson Leneus, in the November general election. She and Leneus are running to fill 2017 mayoral candidate and two-term City Council Chairman Ted Green’s old 3rd Ward seat.

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The primary election proved more than just a practice run for candidates who will be running in the general election in November. Mamie Robinson, a registered Democrat, former city employee and longtime resident of East Orange’s 3rd Ward, was outside Langston Hughes Elementary School on Rhode Island Avenue, down the street from City Council Chairman, 3rd Ward Councilman and now Mayor-elect Ted Green’s campaign headquarters, on Tuesday, June 6, collecting signatures on her nominating petitions.

Robinson hopes to run as an Independant for Green’s soon-to-be-vacant East Orange City Council seat against his Green Team in 2017 running mate, Board of Education President and 3rd Ward Councilman-elect Bergson Leneus, on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Robinson said she was also at the school, which serves as a polling place in her part of the 3rd Ward, to cast her vote for Green, even though she plans to run against his running mate.

“I live in the 3rd Ward and I ran for councilwoman in 2015 as an Independent and I had almost 600 people come off the line who want to make a difference in the 3rd Ward that voted for me, and I only lost to the incumbent by 160 votes,” said Robinson on Tuesday, June 6. “This time, I’m going to win. I lost to Quilla Talmadge and she only beat me by 160 votes.”

Timing is everything in life and elections, Robinson said, so she didn’t want to waste her time running against Leneus in the primary, because it would have been almost impossible to overcome the advantage he had as a member of Green’s ticket, which had the backing of the East Orange Democratic Committee and the Essex County Democratic Committee.

“If I run now, people always vote the A Line. They don’t come off the line, so the A Line gives you who they want you to vote for,” said Robinson. “You don’t choose the person that you want to vote for, the A Line gives you that person. So I’m giving people an opportunity in November to have another choice and I will be the voice of the people.”

Robinson is the wife of former 3rd Ward Councilman Clinton Robinson, who lost his seat to Green years ago. She worked for the city for more than 35 years and said she’s seen a lot of elected officials come and go during that time, and her message to them was always the same.

“I worked for five mayors and I used to tell them: ‘I seen you come and I’ll see you go,” Robinson said. “I’m very outspoken. I don’t owe anybody. I’m not connected to anybody. I don’t have a full-time job. I’m retired and my full-time job will be the citizens of the 3rd Ward. Anything that goes on in council the citizens will know.”

Local businessman and former mayoral candidate Kevin Taylor said Robinson should not let his past political losses deter her from running against Leneus in November.

Taylor supported Green’s run for mayor this year, and feels strongly about Robinson’s candidacy.

“Mamie’s a good candidate, matter of fact,” Taylor said Tuesday, June 6, at Green’s primary victory party at Bella Italia restaurant in Orange. “So, therefore, I believe that she should have a great chance to win this election. No question about it.”

The last time an Independent candidate successfully ran against the East Orange Democratic Committee “machine” was when Bowser ran against the party line and was elected mayor.

“I don’t know about Bob Bowser, but I’m just trying to do a Mamie Robinson right now,” Robinson said. “I like Ted (Green). I’m very supportive of Ted and what Ted needs is people who are going to be in his corner, who are going to make this city work, who don’t have any obligations to anybody else than the citizens of the 3rd Ward because, right now, there are too many hands in the pot and too many people who are committed to other things other than being committed to the 3rd Ward.

“Bergson Leneus is a very nice gentleman. Ain’t nothing personal, but this is my 3rd Ward and you just can’t take my 3rd Ward. I’m the voice for the 3rd Ward, because it was very clear in November 2015. They said no one has ever gotten almost 600 votes off the line as an Independent Democrat and I did. So I’m letting people know in enough time, I’m out here, I’m running, I need support. Holler!”

Leneus could not be reached for comment about Robinson’s candidacy. Green, however, did happen to run into Robinson and her husband, Clinton, on his way into Langston Hughes School on Tuesday, June 6, to vote.

“It’s about the community,” said Green on Tuesday, June 6. “Mamie and Clint have always been good to me. So if she wants to run in November, she can run, but I’m still supporting Berg Leneus and the rest of the Green Team in 2017 and all the other members of Line A.”

Robinson told Green, “you don’t have to say anything” else because “I got you.” She said she understands how partisan politics operate and she wouldn’t be throwing her hat in the ring in November if she wasn’t fully prepared to “fight the power” and do “whatever it takes” to win the 3rd Ward council seat.

“I’m supporting Ted 100 percent and that’s my ‘first lady’ right there,” Robinson said as Green and his wife made their way into the school to vote. “In fact, Clinton lost to Ted, but it’s all good and we’ve always had a lot of respect for one another. And Ted’s not aware, but in November, I will be his council person.”