N.J. Congressman Donald Payne Jr. dies at 65

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who followed his father’s footsteps in politics and represented Newark in Congress for more than a decade, has died.

Donald Payne Jr has died

Payne died Wednesday, nearly three weeks after suffering a heart attack that had left him in a coma.

He was 65.

Payne’s office announced his passing in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that Congressman Payne’s Congressional Office announces the passing of Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. He was 65 years old and proudly served the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey since 2012.”

The congressman had “experienced a physical accident at home on April 6,” the office noted, “which necessitated hospitalization. During his treatment for this health issue, he faced medical complications due to diabetes and high blood pressure that led to subsequent cardiorespiratory arrest. Despite the dedicated efforts of the medical staff to treat him and improve his health, they were unable to prevent his passing unfortunately.”

Politicial career

Payne, a Democrat, had represented the Garden State’s 10th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Newark and Orange, since 2012 after winning a special election after his father, also Donald Payne Sr., had died earlier that year from colon cancer.

Before his untimely death, Payne Jr was running unopposed in the June 4 primary, and was expected to win a seventh term in November with the backing of Murphy, congressional party leaders and an array of union, environmental and pro-abortion groups.

In Congress, Payne sat on the House Homeland Security and Transportation Committees, serving as top Democrat on the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.

He was also co-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Men’s Health Caucus and Colorectal Caucus, which he formed in 2021 to promote awareness of colon cancer, the disease that killed his father.

Life for Donald Payne Jr

Payne Jr grew up in Newark with his two sisters, where his father was a teacher before launching a career in politics. His mother, Hazel Payne, died when he was 5.

He got his start in politics as a teen. Payne founded the Newark South Ward Junior Democrats and attended Kean University where he studied graphics.

Before entering politics, Payne worked as a Garden State Parkway toll collector and was a member of the Essex County Educational Services Commission.

He is survived by his wife, Beatrice, his sons, Donald Payne III and Jack, and his daughter, Yvonne, who were born as triplets.