New Jersey Representative Donald Payne Dead at 77

Democratic Representative Donald Payne passed away in Essex county this morning at the age of 77. The first black congressman to represent New Jersey, Payne had been diagnosed with colon cancer last month and recently returned to New Jersey after his condition worsened. Representative Payne was born in Newark, most of which is included in the 10th congressional district he represented. He’s survived by three children and four grandchildren. [NBC Philadelphia]