Cryan's Pennsylvania home raises doubts about his candidacy

Residency issues and concerns about his greedy abuse of nepotism are plaguing the re-election campaign of Senator Joseph P. Cryan, whose combined taxpayer-funded salaries add up to more than $257,000, as he faces a serious challenge from former Roselle Mayor and current Assemblyman Jamel Holley.

Holley, who is Black, had been written off by many observers who say that racial differences among Americans and the ubiquitous support for the political establishment make it difficult for anyone to overcome incumbency, and the proven success of vote suppression tactics can be expected to diminish African American and Latino turnout that would help the challenger.

However, it is clear that voters are sensing some concern about the incumbent, since news broke about his Pennsylvania home purchase, which was bought by Cryan in March 2018, less than three months after he swore to represent Union County in the state Senate.

Investigative reporters for NJTODAY.NET confirmed that Cryan —who is supposed to represent Elizabeth, Union, Hillside, and Roselle— took up residency in Pennsylvania by verifying his deed to the property with the Carbon County Office of the Recorder of Deeds.

Government authorities confirmed that the document is legitimate.

Some Cryan supporters dismiss the Pennsylvania residence and say voters in Union County are "not ready for a Black Senator," but critics argue that the same thing was said in 2008 when Holley backed Barack Obama for president and Cryan was strictly for Hillary Clinton. In fact, Cryan suggested at the time that Clinton should be given an unfair advantage by being placed in a favorable more ballot position than Obama.

As for whether residents are ready to be represented by a Black lawmaker, Holley has been successful in far more contested local elections than Cryan, who has fomented an insurgent opposition am good-government advocates as the political boss in Union Township.

Troy Singleton and Ronald L. Rice are the only Black male senators in Trenton, and the political establishment has a strong preference for nominating African-American women because bosses feel they can both exert more control and easily ignore female lawmakers.

Three Black women are members of the 40-member Senate, including Shirley K. Turner, Sandra B. Cunningham, Nia H. Gill.

Cryan has the support of the State PBA, the largest police union in New Jersey, which prominently supported Donald Trump in last year's presidential election. Cryan is trying to overcome his weak spots by strengthening his law enforcement credentials.

Cryan is leading the fight to stop lawmakers from rolling back immunity for police who kill Black residents, working to prevent local governments to require officers to live in communities they serve, and sponsoring legislation that would make it a crime to splash or squirt water on law enforcement personnel.

By contrast, Holley is supporting reforms to restrict the use of force abuses commonly directed against unarmed citizens, whether they are White, Black, or Hispanic, as well as measures to hold officers accountable for misconduct, corruption, and police brutality.

Holley is a resident of Roselle, where he has lived his entire life.