Jersey City Councilman Advances to Mayoral Runoff
James Solomon, a councilman from Jersey City, is set to compete in a mayoral runoff later this year, as reported by the Associated Press.
Since no candidate secured a majority on Tuesday, a runoff will be held on December 2nd. Details about his opponent are still pending.
The mayoral race in Jersey City was nonpartisan and featured seven candidates. Among them were former New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, perceived as a frontrunner, Bill O’Dea, a Hudson County commissioner and past City Council member, and Solomon himself.
Other candidates included former school board president Musab Ali, police officer Christina Freeman, City Council President Joyce Watterman, and Kalki Jayne-Rose.
Jersey City has a significant population of about 303,000 and is conveniently positioned right across the Hudson River from New York City.
This election follows the tenure of long-serving Mayor Stephen Fulop, who opted not to run again after an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination earlier this year.
McGreevey’s entry into the mayoral race signifies his return to New Jersey politics after stepping down as governor back in 2004 due to a scandal involving an affair with a male employee. At that time, he was married to a woman, and the affair led to the threat of a sexual harassment lawsuit, ultimately prompting his resignation.
Reflecting on his political return, McGreevey told NJ.com in October, “I’m not letting people judge my soul. It’s for God’s sake. What I like to ask people is, ‘Would I be a good mayor?'”
After resigning, he largely withdrew from the public eye but later came out as gay and focused on faith-based community work, per information on his campaign site.
Interestingly, he holds the distinction of being the first openly gay governor in U.S. history.
As with the gubernatorial race in New Jersey, the Jersey City mayoral race is highlighting affordability issues, a major concern in a state known for high taxes and housing costs.
McGreevey’s campaign includes calls for the construction of 1,000 new affordable housing units and requiring that 20% of new developments be designated for affordable housing.
O’Dea has been advocating for rent control measures and affordable housing specifically aimed at teachers, nurses, and first responders. Solomon is promoting a plan to cut housing costs by dismantling the current tax break system for developers and addressing double-digit rent hikes in residential buildings.
Polling in New Jersey wrapped up at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, drawing national attention to the state’s gubernatorial race, which resulted in the election of Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
