Newark City Council President Donald Payne Jr. easily won today’s Democratic primary to replace his father, the late Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), and will likely become the district’s next Member of Congress in November.

Payne began the race as the prohibitive frontrunner because of his name identification and establishment support, and he never lost that position.

Payne will appear on the ballot twice on Election Day in November. One contest will be to fill out the remainder of his father’s term this Congress and the other will be for the full two-year term that begins in January 2013. This is a heavily Democratic district, and he should be able to hold this seat for as long as he wants it.