 However Al Smith, a New York City native, and Roman Catholic of Irish, Italian and German immigrant heritage, appealed greatly to urban areas populated by ethnic immigrant communities, laying the groundwork for a new urban Democratic coalition.Urban parts of New Jersey, particularly in North Jersey which shared close ties with New York City, swung in Smith's favor.Essex County, home to Newark, swung Democratic, as did Middlesex County, Passaic County, Union County, Bergen County, and Mercer County.