MIND THE WEALTH GAP — Baraka ramps up criticism against Sherrill, by POLITICO’s Madison Fernandez: The Democratic primary for governor has been a largely civil affair. But candidates are starting to set their sights on the perceived frontrunner: Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka took to Sherrill’s home turf of Montclair on Tuesday to label her as “tone deaf.” His criticism was in response to a comment she made at a recent forum about the racial wealth gap in the state. The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice advocacy group has found New Jersey’s “staggering” racial wealth gap is among the highest in the nation. When asked at the forum earlier this month what programs she would create as governor to close that wealth gap, she said, in part: “I don’t think we can be surprised at that when we see the disparities in education in this state and we see the racial segregation in this state. That is why we have to get, push in better educational programs. That’s high intensity tutoring, especially making sure at the third grade level, that is where we have to have our children reading by third grade.” She also mentioned first time homeowner programs in her answer. “Candidates, our congresswoman in the main says that the wealth gap can be fixed by making sure that third graders knew how to read,” Baraka said in front of a library in Montclair. “I think that if that was coming from a Republican, it would be considered racist. From us, tone deaf and completely out of touch.” … In response to Baraka’s comments, Sherrill told POLITICO in a statement that she “absolutely” agrees that there is “deeply-rooted systemic racism in New Jersey that must be addressed.”

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