Albert Coutinho

He’s been around long enough to know people get punched hard in this business, but Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo from district 29, the third ranking member in the Assembly and the highest ranking Latino, finds it no less difficult to fight off his anger.

"I wouldn’t change my vote, no, no way," he says. "I have absolutely no regrets about that vote."

It was the sales tax increase proposed during the budget season last year.

The governor wanted the Essex County delegation to vote for it but Caraballo didn’t do it, arguing the tax would unfairly impact his constituents, particularly those making minimum wage or less. Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo didn’t appreciate that, and neither did the governor.

Republican Miquel Sanabria is making his third run for the State Assembly in overwhelmingly-Democratic 29th district.  He first ran in 1977 against Democrats Willie Brown and Eugene Thompson, winning a little more than 5% of the vote. His second bid was in 2005, receiving 5% again in his race with Wilfredo Caraballo and William Payne.   This fall, he will face the winner of the Democratic primary, where Caraballo and his son, Nico Caraballo, face former Assemblyman Albert Coutinho and Cory Booker's Deputy Campaign Manager, Grace Spencer.

State Sen. Nia Gill has endorsed Teresa Ruiz for State Senate and Grace Spencer and Albert Coutinho for Assembly in the 29th district, along with Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin and Newark South Ward Councilman Oscar James.