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Mayors

Ras Baraka's Brother Middy: A Potential Future Baraka Administration Figure

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As Newark Mayor Ras Baraka campaigns to become New Jersey's next governor, his professional, political, and personal relationship with his brother and chief of staff, Amiri "Middy" Baraka Jr., comes under scrutiny. Middy has been a key figure in Ras's campaigns, including his 2014 mayoral run and his current gubernatorial bid. The Baraka brothers' relationship is seen by some as a strength, with Ras's deputy mayor calling Middy "one of the best campaign operators around," while others view it as a liability, citing Middy's alleged behavior in Newark as a hindrance to Ras's future political ambitions.

Key Takeaways:

  • Middy Baraka has been chief of staff in Newark since 2014 and has played a crucial role in Ras Baraka's campaigns, including his 2014 mayoral run and current gubernatorial bid.
  • The Baraka brothers' relationship is complex, with some viewing it as a strength and others seeing it as a liability due to Middy's alleged behavior in Newark.
  • Ras Baraka has defended his brother's work for his campaigns, saying, "My brother has a firm where he hires people to work on campaigns. Obviously, that's going to happen. He's going to continue to do that. He's my brother. I trust him. He's loyal. He fights in the street."
  • Middy Baraka's consulting firm, Bottom Up Consulting, received $529,200 from Ras Baraka's gubernatorial campaign in 2025 and $46,000 in 2024 for get-out-the-vote efforts.
  • Alif Muhammad, a former Newark Housing Authority commissioner, alleges that Middy Baraka approached him to change his vote on a resolution involving a landscaping contract in 2022.
  • Middy Baraka was a defendant in a 2017 federal whistleblower lawsuit filed by former Newark city attorney Willie Parker.

Statistics:

  • $529,200: Amount paid to Bottom Up Consulting by Ras Baraka's gubernatorial campaign in 2025.
  • $46,000: Amount paid to Bottom Up Consulting by Ras Baraka's gubernatorial campaign in 2024.
  • 11 years: Middy Baraka's tenure as chief of staff in Newark.
  • 17,784: Number of ballots cast in the 2022 Newark mayoral election, out of 160,298 registered voters.
  • 73%: Vote share won by Gov. Phil Murphy in the 2017 Democratic primary in Newark.

Sources:

  • New Jersey Monitor
  • Newark Monitor
  • Village Green NJ
  • Tapinto Newark
  • Public Citizen
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University
  • Washington Post

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