Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka faces seven challengers as he seeks a fourth term Tuesday as the chief executive of his state's largest city.
The reelection bid caps an eventful 12 months for Baraka. The contest takes place almost a year after he was arrested at a protest outside a federal immigration detention center. The charges were later dropped, and he sued the federal prosecutor at the time, alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution.
Baraka later placed second against then-U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill in the Democratic primary for governor. Sherrill went on to win the general election. Baraka is a Democrat, but the office of Newark mayor is nonpartisan, and candidates do not run under a party label.
