NJ Karate Guru Beats COVID, Runs For Congress As Libertarian

NEW JERSEY — A karate expert, small business owner and U.S. Air Force veteran from New Jersey who beat the coronavirus and holds several world records is running for Congress as a Libertarian who supports the Black Lives Matter movement and battles bullying.

If this tagline seems like too much to chew on, John Mirrione can also be described in two words, he says: “independent thinker.”

Mirrione, a Westfield resident, has gained the support of the Libertarian Party in Essex, Hudson and Union counties in his quest to unseat Rep. Donald Payne Jr. in the state’s 10th District in November’s election.

The district includes the following municipalities: Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark, Orange, South Orange, West Orange, Bayonne, Jersey City, Hillside, Linden, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park and Union Township.

“The people of Newark and the rest of the 10th District deserve to have Mr. Mirrione as their voice in Congress,” New Jersey Libertarian Party Chair Daniel Krause said.

“The Libertarian Party is proud to call John one of our own,” Krause added.

• See related article: Libertarians Standing Tall As Largest Third Party In New Jersey

It’s been an unusual journey into politics for Mirrione, who served in the Air Force from 1985 to 1991. At the end of his tenure, he was instated as a medical supervisor, helping to care for several thousand troops.

After his military service ended, Mirrione began teaching karate in 1994, ultimately opening his own studio, Harmony By Karate. During that time, “Sensei Mirrione” found a new calling: fighting bullies.

Drawing on his own past of being picked on while growing up in Brooklyn and Long Island, Mirrione embarked on a 17-city crusade in 2010. Digging into his own pocket for food and gas, he visited schools and YMCAs across the nation, speaking to kids about “being self-empowered, believing in themselves and knowing that anything is possible.”

Soon, Mirrione found himself chatting with the likes of Deepak Chopra about his anti-bullying efforts and regimen of positive thinking.

In 2015, Mirrione formed the Harmony Power Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to “standing up to bullying and standing for human equality.” Mirrione eventually scored a huge victory when the Elizabeth Public School District decided to incorporate his Harmony Power Awards program into its anti-bullying curriculum – at no additional cost to the district.

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The experience gave Mirrione a taste of politics that soon grew into something bigger.

“There’s so much fighting between Democrats and Republicans at the expense of the American public,” Mirrione recently said in an interview with Mike Cohen.

“I felt it could be an opportunity to help unite both parties since Libertarians have viewpoints from both of those parties,” Mirrione said.

One of Mirrione's first moves as congressman would be to help people and businesses suffering from the COVID-19 crisis, he said.

“When elected, I will work towards innovative ways to create new, sustainable jobs otherwise lost during the coronavirus recession,” Mirrione said. “Along with creating jobs, I will move to introduce and replace old school budgeting with ‘Kitchen-Table Economics,’ helping to work towards the solution to America's debt crisis by realizing that [we] can't push our debt down the road.”

Other points on his political platform include:

• “We don't need police defunding. We need police reform using technology to protect police and citizens. Also, we need mental health professionals to do mental health checks and support [officers].”
• “We need healthcare reform in which alternative medicine becomes the first proactive approach for prevention and cures to chronic issues … Western medicine should be used only for acute conditions.”
• “When elected, I will expand my anti-bullying program to every major city in the U.S.”

While exercising his mind and political voice, Mirrione hasn’t let his physical prowess fade. Earlier this month – as friends, family and U.K.-based Record Holders Republic watched via Zoom – he nailed down 76 jump squats in a minute, setting a world record.

It’s a feat the martial arts expert is no stranger to. In the past, he’s set several other world records, including one arm/one leg push-ups and holding a bare knuckle position on a stone block.

• See related article: 9 Amazing World Records From New Jersey (VIDEOS)
• See related article: 12 World Records From Essex County: Space, Film, Flight, Hockey

Even more impressive about the feat was the fact that Mirrione, 55, had just recovered from a serious struggle with COVID-19 in May.

Several people in his family caught the virus and had less severe symptoms. But COVID-19 had something more grim in store for Mirrione, who had a prior medical condition.

"I cried like a 2-year-old," he recalled about his harrowing brush with illness. "Not just because I was in pain, but because I was afraid to die." (Listen to him speak about the experience here)

Before capturing his most recent world record on video on July 5, Mirrione used the experience as a chance to announce his candidacy for Congress. He also expressed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, noting that "transgender lives matter," too.

The martial arts expert knows he faces a tough battle in November. His incumbent opponent, Rep. Payne, has served as congressman for the district since 2012, and was reported as a landslide victor for the Democratic Party nomination in the July primary election against Eugene Mazo and John Flora. He also faces a challenge from the Republican nominee, Jennifer Zinone.

But no matter how the grand finale turns out, simply making the ballot is already a decisive victory, Mirrione reasoned.

“I win either way,” he explained. “Even if I lose, I win, because my work will be heard.”

Learn more about his campaign here.

Send feedback and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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