Former Maplewood Deputy Mayor Deborah Engel — who stunned the political establishment with her primary win for Essex County Commissioner at Large, running with the progressive Essex Reform Democrats — kicked off her general election campaign at an event at Artie’s on Newark Way on June 24.
“Many of the people in this room are Essex Reform Democrats and you helped build this momentum and this movement, and I thank you,” Engel told the crowd. “Something bigger is happening right now. Here in Essex County. In New York. Across New Jersey and across the country. People want to be heard. They want to be part of the conversation. And they want a government that works for them. Tonight isn’t just about celebrating a victory. It’s about launching the next chapter.”
Engel sought, but did not gain, the Essex County Democratic Committee’s endorsement for the primary. She is the first non-ECDC endorsed candidate to win the Democratic primary for Commissioner in memory. Engel was endorsed by South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; her run also benefited for the the fact that there is no longer a “county line” on ballots.
Deb Engel at Artie’s in Maplewood. June 24, 2026.
Despite running with the insurgent and progressive Essex Reform Democrats, as a Democratic nominee, Engel is now being embraced by the Essex County Democratic Committee, with Executive Director Akeem Cunningham in attendance at the kickoff event. Cunningham told Village Green that the Committee is excited to have “SOMA” [South Orange-Maplewood] represented on the Commission, noting that the towns have an engaged and informed electorate with a high voter turnout rate.
During her public comments at the kickoff, Engel’s message remained “grassroots”, as she pledged to continue to run on “transparency, accountability, and leaders who listen.”
Akeem Cunningham and Deb Engel. Photo by Mary Barr Mann.
Engel — who is almost assured of a win in the general due to overwhelming Democratic voter registration in Essex County — will be the first Maplewood resident on the Commission since Ellen Davenport (back when the Commissioners were still operating as Freeholders).
Read Engel’s kickoff event remarks here:
Good evening, everyone.
First, thank you.
Thank you for being here tonight, and thank you for everything you did to make this victory possible. Whether you knocked doors, made calls, sent texts, donated, put up a lawn sign, talked to your neighbors, or simply believed in this campaign, this win belongs to all of us.
A few weeks ago, we proved something important: regular people and new voices can make a difference and that grassroots campaigns can compete and win.
We proved that voters are hungry for transparency, accountability, and leaders who listen. We proved that when people get involved, organize, and show up, they can create real change.
Engel and her three daughters.
And we didn’t just see that in my race. We saw it in Analilia’s victory. We saw it in Greg Babula’s victory in Bloomfield. We saw it in essex reform democrat candidate winning district leader seats on the county committee.
And yesterday, we saw similar energy in New York City, where voters once again embraced candidates who bring fresh ideas and a different vision for the future.
Did we win every race? No.
And we still have a lot of work to do.
But election after election, more people are stepping up to run, organize, volunteer, and advocate for the change they want to see.
Many of the people in this room are Essex Reform Democrats and you helped build this momentum and this movement, and I thank you.
Something bigger is happening right now. Here in Essex County. In New York. Across New Jersey and across the country.
People want to be heard. They want to be part of the conversation. And they want a government that works for them.
Tonight isn’t just about celebrating a victory. It’s about launching the next chapter.
We need to engage new voters, register new voters, bring more people into the process, and make them feel heard. And we need to ensure that Essex County continues to be a place where people participate, organize, and show up.
Our county has always played a critical role in Democratic victories in New Jersey. If we want to protect our values and move our state forward, we need to make sure Essex County delivers strong Democratic turnout this November.
I know many of us will be paying close attention to races just outside our county, including the fight in CD-7. But we also need to make sure we’re doing the work right here at home and turning out voters across Essex County.
And as we do that work, I hope we remember something else.
The work of building change is never easy. Good people can disagree about strategy. They can disagree about priorities. They can disagree about the best path forward.
That’s okay.
What matters is that we stay focused on why we got involved in the first place.
Most of us are here because we believe in transparency. We believe in accountability. We believe government works best when people have a voice. And we believe in building a stronger and more inclusive Democratic Party.
We don’t have to agree on everything. In fact, we shouldn’t agree on everything. But we do need to keep talking to each other, listening to each other, be civil with each other, and remember that we are on the same team.
And as we move forward, I promise you this: I will continue to be the same person I’ve always been.
Many of you know me as a community builder and a bridge builder. I believe in bringing people together and finding common ground wherever possible. I will work with anyone who is willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work.
But working together does not mean staying silent. It does not mean giving up our values. And it does not mean being afraid to speak up when change is needed.
I promise to continue to do this as your county commissioner.
The message voters sent in this election was clear: progressive voices matter. New voices matter. Younger voices matter. Independent voices matter. And I will continue fighting to make sure those voices have a seat at the table.
That’s the work ahead of us. Not just winning elections, but building a stronger more inclusive Democratic Party.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in this reform movement. And thank you for being part of what comes next.
