Payne, Donald M. (Donald Milford), Jr., 1958-

Donald Milford Payne Jr. (born December 17, 1958) is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 10th congressional district since 2012.

Payne was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, the son of the first African-American to represent the state of New Jersey in Congress, Donald M. Payne, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1989 until his death in 2012. The younger Payne studied graphic arts at Kean University, was an adviser at the YMCA Youth in Government Program, and worked for the New Jersey Highway Authority from 1991 until he joined the Essex County Educational Services Commission in 1996, where he worked as the Supervisor of Student Transportation.

Payne served on the Newark Municipal Council as a Member and President as well as on the Essex County Board of Freeholders as a Freeholder-at-Large. Following the death of his father, U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, on March 6, 2012, Payne ran in the primary to succeed him in Congress. His father had first been elected in 1988 and was re-elected eleven times without significant opposition. He won the Democratic primary election on June 5, 2012, which is tantamount to election in the heavily Democratic district, and won the general election on November 6, 2012. Payne assumed his office on November 15 and has been reelected four times.