Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver cruised to a second full term representing New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District Tuesday, despite facing federal criminal charges over a confrontation with immigration officers last year — and giving birth to her second child just weeks before Election Day.
The Newark Democrat defeated Republican challenger Carmen Bucco in a rematch of their 2024 contest in the heavily Democratic district.
McIver garnered about 86% of the vote to Bucco’s 13% with about a third of the ballots counted as of 8:30 pm EST.
McIver, 40, has spent months fighting to prevent a criminal case tied to a May 2025 confrontation with federal officers at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility from going to trial.
The congresswoman was touring the facility with two other Democratic lawmakers as part of an oversight visit when a demonstration broke out outside. Federal prosecutors allege that McIver assaulted, resisted, obstructed and interfered with officers.
McIver has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the prosecution violates constitutional protections afforded to lawmakers carrying out their official responsibilities.
In August, a federal appeals court permitted two charges to move forward but returned a third to a lower court for additional consideration. McIver later petitioned the full appeals court to revisit that decision.
Amid the ongoing legal fight, McIver gave birth to her second child, a daughter, on Oct. 1.
McIver joined Congress in 2024 after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ). Before her election to the House, she served six years on Newark’s Municipal Council, including her final two years as council president.
Bucco, a Kenilworth small-business owner, previously served on the Belleville Board of Education and ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice. The Republican, who was raised in foster care, campaigned on strengthening support for law enforcement, improving public safety and combating government corruption.
McIver’s win places her among a long line of federal lawmakers who have faced criminal allegations or convictions while serving in Congress.
Former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who once chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was found guilty in July 2024 on all 16 counts in a federal corruption case involving bribery, fraud and acting as an agent for a foreign government.
Prosecutors alleged that Menendez accepted cash, gold bars and other valuables in return for using his political influence. He received an 11-year prison sentence in January 2025.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and his wife also faced federal charges involving bribery and foreign influence after prosecutors accused them of accepting roughly $600,000 from foreign entities in exchange for official actions. The couple denied the allegations, and President Trump issued them full, unconditional pardons in December 2025, 13 months after Cuellar secured an 11th term in the House.
