Atlantic City, NJ Mayor Won While Under Criminal Indictment: How?

How did Atlantic City, New Jersey Mayor Marty Small win the Democrat Primary election this past Tuesday, while under criminal indictment?

I have been asked this question countless times over the past 24 hours.

How Did Marty Small Win?

Many are miffed at how Small could possibly have won the recent Primary Election. After all, he currently stands indicted for disturbing child abuse and witness tampering criminal charges.

Here’s my take on how he won. Atlantic City has about 40,000 residents. However, only about 4,200 voters participated in the Democrat Primary Election.

Small received 2,600 votes versus 1,600 for challenger Bob McDevitt.

Approximately 90 percent of the Atlantic City residents were not part of this small sampling.

Despite Being Criminally Charged …

Small has about 3,000 supporters who will continue to vote for him … no matter what!

This Small base of support is more than enough to win a very small turn-out Primary Election.

In most cities, Marty Small would have disqualified himself from serious consideration. Such is not the case in Atlantic City.

Power of Incumbency

You can’t overstate the advantage Small has by being the incumbent. The friends and family patronage that an Atlantic City Mayor can wield is very hard for a challenger to compete against.

Small has many millions of taxpayer dollars at his disposal and a willing state of New Jersey that presently supports whatever Small wants to do.

Atlantic City Public Schools Connection

Marty Small significantly benefits from the fact that his wife is Superintendent of Public Schools for Atlantic City.

Marty Small supported the Board of Education members who voted to make La’Quetta Small the superintendent.

The city and schools annual budgets total more than $ 500,000,000 per-year.

The same family and friends patronage exists on the school purpose tax side … just as it does on the city purpose tax side.

La’Quetta Small Is Also Criminally Indicted

Marty and La’Quetta Small are scheduled to go to criminal trial in July, 2025.

This could be delayed as they have filed motions to try and have separate trials.

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury will have to decide whether to grant this request. He likely won’t and then Marty and La’Quetta Small can file an appeal of Judge DeLury’s decision.