ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Mayor Marty Small secured reelection Tuesday despite facing serious child abuse charges set to go to trial next month. The Democrat defeated Republican challenger Naeem Ahmad Khan by a 62% to 38% margin, becoming the first Atlantic City mayor in over 20 years to win a second full term.
Small’s victory came amid controversy following charges filed by Atlantic County prosecutors last year. Prosecutors allege that Small and his wife, La’Quetta Small — the Atlantic City Schools Superintendent — physically and emotionally abused their teenage daughter. Court documents claim the mayor repeatedly struck his daughter with a broom and punched her, while La’Quetta allegedly dragged the girl by her hair and struck her with a belt. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin December 1. Despite the allegations, Small maintained strong support in the heavily Democratic city, where no Republican has held the mayor’s office in 35 years.
Small first became mayor in 2019 after former Mayor Frank Gilliam resigned following a wire fraud conviction for embezzling $86,790 from a youth basketball league.
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