TRENTON - Veteran Democratic Party operative Selvin White has submitted a letter notifying Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Phil Thigpen of his interest in the Essex County Freeholder seat left vacant by Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.

Senior management assistant for the Newark City Office of the Administrator, White (pictured) worked for U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9) from 2000 to 2005. 

Thigpen confirmed what PolitickerNJ.com has already reported: namely labor leader Eddie Osborne’s similar interest in the seat.

“I set up a screening committee,” said the party chairman. “Anyone who’s interested should send me a resume.”

An Essex County source told PolitickerNJ.com the politically well-connected Osborne is the party favorite.

Councilman Bernard Hamilton in Bloomfield has also expressed an interest in the Freeholder Seat.

Payne formally vacated the seat on Nov. 16th to assume his fulltime duties as a congressman in the 10th District. The new congressman replaced his father, the late U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-10).

"The seat should stay in the south ward," said White, who has worked on many successful Democratic Party campaigns, notably U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg's (D-NJ) 2008 re-election and Hillary Clinton's 2008 Democratic Primary effort.