Divided Dominican vote defeats Alex Méndez in Paterson mayoral race

Alex Méndez, a Dominican community leader, ran for mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, relying on the city's large Dominican and Latino electorate. Despite a natural base, his campaign was undermined by multiple small Dominican candidacies that split the vote, each capturing between 800 and 2,000 ballots. The fragmented support meant that the combined votes could have changed the outcome.

The opposing candidate succeeded by uniting his own base and reaching out to other constituencies, including African‑American, Arab, and union voters, securing a majority. Méndez's loss leaves the Dominican community without control of the mayor's office, affecting decisions on police, schools, contracts, and jobs in the city. Commentators note the result underscores the need for coalition‑building and coordinated voting within the community for future elections.