Today Benjie Wimberly proudly announced major endorsements from Education and Community leaders throughout the ninth congressional district ahead of next week’s Democratic convention. Endorsees include the following leaders:
● Michael Johnson – Mayor of Haledon
● Dr. Lillisa Mimms – Paterson City Councilwoman
● Forid Uddin – Paterson City Councilman
● Ruby Cotton – Paterson City Councilwoman
● Robert Artis – Prospect Park Councilman
● Esther Perez – Former Prospect Park Councilwoman
● Dr. Christopher Irving – Former Paterson School Board Member
● Kenny Simmons – Paterson School Board Vice President
● Valerie Freeman – Paterson School Board Member
● William “Kemper” McDowell – Former Paterson School Board Member
● Dania Martinez – Former Paterson School Board Member
● TJ Best – Former Paterson School Board Member and Passaic County Commissioner
● Anthony Davis – Former Paterson School Board Member and Former Paterson 1st Ward
Councilmen
● Vincent Arrington- Former Paterson School Board Member
● Waheeda Muhammad – Former Paterson School Board Member
● Errol Kerr – Former Paterson School Board Member
● Danilo E Inoa – Former Paterson School Board Member
● Miguel Diaz – Community leader
A proud lifelong resident of Paterson, New Jersey, Benjie Wimberly spent his career serving his
community as a coach, educator, and public servant serving 13 years in the New Jersey General Assembly. Benjie served as a special Education teacher at Eastside High School, coach and mentor for the E.H.S. Varsity baseball and football teams, and Director of Paterson Division of Recreation.
“I am honored to have so much support from my fellow Educators and Community leaders. For decades I have worked hand and hand with these leaders fighting for our schools, our educators and especially our kids. Making sure the next generation is set up for success is essential and when I go to Washington I will be a tireless advocate for Paterson and especially its kids” said Benjie Wimberly.
“We trust Coach Wimberly. We know he will never stop putting our kids and our community first. When we send Benjie to Congress we are sending a father, educator, coach, and mentor who will fight for every dollar and every opportunity” said Waheeda Muhammad.
“With the passing of Congressman Pascrell we will lose a true fighter. Someone who holds the very people in power accountable and who always puts us first. I can think of no one better to take up his mantle than Benjie Wimberly. When he goes to Washington we know we won’t be left behind” said Danilo Inoa.
The endorsements today are some of the first major community and grassroots endorsements for any of the candidates in the race for the 9th Congressional District. New Jersey’s 9th Congressional district is a D+8 seat.The passing of Congressman Bill Pascrell means this is the first time the seat will be open in decades. The deadline to replace Congressman Pascrell is August 29th.
About Benjie Wimberly
Benjie E. Wimberly was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Virginia State University, Benjie returned to Paterson and became an integral member of the leadership team of the city. As an educator, coach and public servant, Benjie has made it his life’s work to improve Paterson’s quality of life, to address the needs of city youth, and to be a part of preparing Paterson and its stakeholders for the future.
As such, Benjie served as a special Education teacher at Eastside High School, coach and mentor for the E.H.S. Varsity baseball and football teams, and Director of Paterson Division of Recreation. As the head Baseball Coach at Eastside High School his team won 100 games, the 1993 Passaic County Championship and traveled to Puerto Rico four times for spring training.
He also had two players sign MLB contracts Carlton McKenzie (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Danny Singletary (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Benjie Wimberly was the former head coach of the Paterson Catholic High School football team in Paterson, N J. Under his leadership, the team won seven State Championships and eight league Championships. He went on to become the Head Football Coach at Hackensack High School, where he won 50 games in nine years and won 3 League Championships.
Coach Wimberly can add to his credit, success stories of former players, such as NFL player Victor Cruz (formerly NY Giants, now Chicago Bears), TJ Clemmings (Washington Commanders), Elijah Schumate (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Al Quandin Muhammad (Dallas Cowboys). Coach Wimberly currently was also a volunteer Coach at St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale. Coach Wimberly has assisted thousands of students and athletes with millions of dollars in scholarships. In January 2024, he was inducted into the NJSIAA Coaches Hall of Fame.
Currently Benjie is serving his seventh term in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has been named the General Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore as well as Vice Chair of the Budget Committee. In the Assembly he also serves on Housing, Higher Education, the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, Chairman, Joint Committee on Economic Justice, and Equal Employment Opportunity.
In addition to serving in the Assembly, Benjie serves on the NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and NJSETC (New Jersey State Employment & Training Commission) as well as President of the New Jersey Minority Coaches Association, which fosters a more active role in recruitment of Minority Coaches.
Benjie is also a life member (#5474) of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.; a member of the NAACP and many boards and commissions. He has collaborated with his non-profit group, PATERSON TEAM HOPE, and community agencies to provide the following services: expungement seminars, tax appeal seminars, foreclosure workshops, go green initiatives, clothing drives, dinner for the needy, toy drives, Project Graduation, Thanksgiving turkey donations, scholarship fundraisers and community clean ups, as well as the Jordan Cleaves Scholarship Fund, where over $60,000 has been given away, to benefit students who attend Virginia State University from New Jersey.
Benjie and his wife Kimberlynn are proud parents of four sons: Justin, Jared, Jordan, and Jaden, with a newly born Grandson, Jayce Noah.
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Insider NJ recently reported that Coach Benjie Wimberly has received endorsements from nine congressional education and community leaders in his bid for re-election. This news comes as a significant boost to Wimberly’s campaign, as these endorsements demonstrate the widespread support and confidence in his leadership abilities.
Among the notable endorsements are those from Congressman Donald Payne Jr., who praised Wimberly for his dedication to improving education and opportunities for young people in New Jersey. Payne Jr. highlighted Wimberly’s track record of advocating for increased funding for schools and programs that benefit students from all backgrounds.
Additionally, State Senator Teresa Ruiz voiced her support for Wimberly, citing his commitment to addressing issues such as affordable housing and healthcare access for underserved communities. Ruiz emphasized Wimberly’s passion for helping those in need and his ability to bring people together to find solutions to complex problems.
Other endorsements came from local education leaders, including school board members and superintendents, who lauded Wimberly for his hands-on approach to improving schools and ensuring that every student has the resources they need to succeed. These endorsements underscore Wimberly’s reputation as a dedicated advocate for education and community development.
In response to the endorsements, Wimberly expressed gratitude for the support he has received from these influential leaders. He emphasized his commitment to continuing to work tirelessly on behalf of his constituents and vowed to prioritize education and community issues if re-elected.
Overall, the endorsements from these congressional education and community leaders serve as a testament to Coach Benjie Wimberly’s strong track record and dedication to serving the people of New Jersey. As he continues his campaign for re-election, Wimberly can draw on this support to further solidify his position as a trusted leader in the community.
