2025 NJ Governor’s Race
mrincredible said:
I suppose I should clarify that I am most interested in talking about the Democratic candidates to take over for Phil Murphy. Right now there are four who have declared:
Ras Baraka
Steve Fulop
Sean Spiller
Stephen Sweeney
Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill are also rumored to be imminently announcing their candidacies.
I am most interested in a Sherrill candidacy. It’s probably because she’s our representative, but also because it’s embarrassing that this state has only ever had one woman as governor, and that was a Republican. None of the other names really excite me very much. The two Steves have been around for a while. Ras Baraka doesn’t seem like a candidate that would generate a lot of statewide support, in my opinion.
I also don’t think having an NJEA president as our candidate would be fruitful. To me, I think he’s in too narrow of a silo, and he kind of seems like a special interest candidate.
Last time around I supported former Senator Lesniak. I follow him on Facebook. Check out the Lesniak Institute. I think with the Republicans feeling empowered and conversations coming around about the SALT cap, I'm wondering if the GOP will try to make headway with that issue. Property taxes are always a contentious issue. Christie capped it when he was Governor. That said, I'd love to see Lesniak. Of course if Cory Booker threw his hat in the ring......
Lesniak endorsed Sean Spiller in August apparently. He does seem like a decent guy, although the campaign to legalize sports gambling in the state does not sit well with me.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/section-2/lesniak-endorses-spiller-pac-launches-ad-run-for-njea-leader/
At 78, it’s not surprising that he has not thrown his hat in the ring.
Morganna said:
Of course if Cory Booker threw his hat in the ring......
I honestly think he would run away with the nomination, and probably the general election as well.
mrincredible said:
I honestly think he would run away with the nomination, and probably the general election as well.
Another Senator I follow on Facebook. He was friendly with Lesniak, both animal advocates, so I think he would have had his endorsement if he considered running but honestly being Senator is like a lifetime appointment, so I guess he recognizes his best avenue. I always dreamed of a Warren/ Booker ticket.
I wonder if now that he’ll be in the minority in the Senate if he’ll think about a different path. It would give Phil Murphy another appointment to make. I was just joking with my wife that if Corey Booker got elected governor, then Mike Sherrill could be app appointed senator in his place. Then Sheena Collum could run for the House of Representatives to replace Sherrill.
Booker is 55. Sherrill is 52. Maybe sometime running New Jersey would prep them for a run at the White House.
mrincredible said:
I wonder if now that he’ll be in the minority in the Senate if he’ll think about a different path. It would give Phil Murphy another appointment to make. I was just joking with my wife that if Corey Booker got elected governor, then Mike Sherrill could be app appointed senator in his place. Then Sheena Collum could run for the House of Representatives to replace Sherrill.
Booker is 55. Sherrill is 52. Maybe sometime running New Jersey would prep them for a run at the White House.
Jon Corzine has the playbook all ready for them.
mrincredible said:
I wonder if now that he’ll be in the minority in the Senate if he’ll think about a different path. It would give Phil Murphy another appointment to make. I was just joking with my wife that if Corey Booker got elected governor, then Mike Sherrill could be app appointed senator in his place. Then Sheena Collum could run for the House of Representatives to replace Sherrill.
Booker is 55. Sherrill is 52. Maybe sometime running New Jersey would prep them for a run at the White House.
A couple of years ago when I bumped into Sheena on jury duty I told her she should run for higher office. We laughed because I had always been tough on social media on our town for closing the shelter, but I separate my issues. I think she is a talented politician.
As for Cory Booker, even in the minority he can afford to wait it out. Look at how long these Senators stay in their positions. Governors, just look at Christie. Two terms and now not much of an influencer. Also, as someone who checks in on the Senate and House speeches, (I'm stuck painting in my studio for hours hence my high TV consumption) Booker works well with other Senators. He attends these prayer meetings with a mix of Dems and Republicans. Has an A+ rating on sponsorship of bills. We need those work across the aisles guys. I'm sick over the fact that the Senate lost Sherrod Brown.
From the little I've seen of Mikie Sherrill, I like her, and I'm adamant about wanting to see more women in government but I'm still learning about her and as I said I see the Senate as a long term position to accomplish policy on a national level. So imagining her in place of Cory Booker, I don't see it.
If I could aspire to any political position, it would be to occupy a seat in the Senate, not Governor, not President, Senator.
Josh Gottheimer has officially announced his candidacy. So that’s like five men, no women.
Sherrill announced today.
I don’t think there’s anyone else waiting in the wings, so this may be the slate as it will play out over the next year.
I was excited to help oust Frelinghuysen in favor of Sherrill, though West Orange's since been moved from the 11th to the 10th district. I'd be happy to vote for her again, this time for governor.
PVW said:
I was excited to help out Frelinghuysen in favor of Sherrill, though West Orange's since been moved from the 11th to the 10th district. I'd be happy to vote for her again, this time for governor.
I am a big supporter.
That's a pretty big field.
Right before this election I was polled and asked if I supported Sherrill, when I said yes I was asked would I still vote for her if I knew she was going to run for governor.
So here we are. I don't know very much about the other candidates although I remember Sweeney when he ran against Murphy. They all seem to want to make NJ more affordable, so I am interested in how they plan on achieving it.
Morganna said:
That's a pretty big field.
Right before this election I was polled and asked if I supported Sherrill, when I said yes I was asked would I still vote for her if I knew she was going to run for governor.
So here we are. I don't know very much about the other candidates although I remember Sweeney when he ran against Murphy. They all seem to want to make NJ more affordable, so I am interested in how they plan on achieving it.
The only way to do that, if you ask me, is to figure out how to increase tax revenues or reduce spending at the state level. Federal aid for things like infrastructure and education is going to shrink in the next Congress for sure. Because I don’t see any way to make living here more affordable without reducing local taxes.
mrincredible said:
Morganna said:
That's a pretty big field.
Right before this election I was polled and asked if I supported Sherrill, when I said yes I was asked would I still vote for her if I knew she was going to run for governor.
So here we are. I don't know very much about the other candidates although I remember Sweeney when he ran against Murphy. They all seem to want to make NJ more affordable, so I am interested in how they plan on achieving it.
The only way to do that, if you ask me, is to figure out how to increase tax revenues or reduce spending at the state level. Federal aid for things like infrastructure and education is going to shrink in the next Congress for sure. Because I don’t see any way to make living here more affordable without reducing local taxes.
You don't think that housing costs are the primary factor in the high cost of living in NJ? For me, it was by far the biggest economic reason for me moving. Taxes didn't even enter my mind.
I want to hear all of them offer policy ideas or plans before I support anyone. I see school districts all over the state in financial crisis despite high property taxes. We need a statewide change in education funding and oversight. I don't care about name recognition at this point.
drummerboy said:
mrincredible said:
Morganna said:
That's a pretty big field.
Right before this election I was polled and asked if I supported Sherrill, when I said yes I was asked would I still vote for her if I knew she was going to run for governor.
So here we are. I don't know very much about the other candidates although I remember Sweeney when he ran against Murphy. They all seem to want to make NJ more affordable, so I am interested in how they plan on achieving it.
The only way to do that, if you ask me, is to figure out how to increase tax revenues or reduce spending at the state level. Federal aid for things like infrastructure and education is going to shrink in the next Congress for sure. Because I don’t see any way to make living here more affordable without reducing local taxes.
You don't think that housing costs are the primary factor in the high cost of living in NJ? For me, it was by far the biggest economic reason for me moving. Taxes didn't even enter my mind.
The problem with housing is that the solution -- build more -- is generally a political loser at the local level. The constituents for more housing are in the future, whereas the people who have housing, and so live where there isn't enough housing, generally don't want more housing built (YIMBY is a minority view).
One way around that is to move things up to the state level, where there are lots of voters who want housing that doesn't yet exist, but the politics of that are still very tough.
It was suggested by someone in local politics that we have too many divided school districts. If I understood it correctly, it means more administrative personnel with higher salaries.
When we increase housing in small towns like South Orange, where there is little available space, we also increase the burden on the schools.
I worked in two related fields, as a real estate agent and as a teacher. I continually heard complaints from clients about property taxes as well has schools. Some of the school complaints were from locals who viewed the other as worse. In the Short Hills office, they criticized the Montclair district and in the Montclair office when I worked there the complaints were about SOMAs districts. Then there were the clients who would only consider private schools and complained that they then paid high tuitions and high property taxes.
We often hear that we need to use other means to fund schools and then there is the voucher discussion.
People in our communities seem to have given up on discussing the cap on SALT.
Morganna said:
People in our communities seem to have given up on discussing the cap on SALT.
because we know it's not coming back.
The school districts are small for the same reason the housing doesn't get built -- high as the costs are, enough present-day voters prefer that to contemplating the changes larger districts and more housing would bring.
mrincredible said:
I suppose I should clarify that I am most interested in talking about the Democratic candidates to take over for Phil Murphy. Right now there are four who have declared:
Ras Baraka
Steve Fulop
Sean Spiller
Stephen Sweeney
Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill are also rumored to be imminently announcing their candidacies.
I am most interested in a Sherrill candidacy. It’s probably because she’s our representative, but also because it’s embarrassing that this state has only ever had one woman as governor, and that was a Republican. None of the other names really excite me very much. The two Steves have been around for a while. Ras Baraka doesn’t seem like a candidate that would generate a lot of statewide support, in my opinion.
I also don’t think having an NJEA president as our candidate would be fruitful. To me, I think he’s in too narrow of a silo, and he kind of seems like a special interest candidate.
I see Sherrill and Gottheimer as having the best odds to win the nomination.
Sweeney’s time may have come and gone and I don’t think he has much support in northern NJ.
Fulop, in my opinion, is corrupt from his long tenure as Jersey City mayor.
ml1 said:
because we know it's not coming back.
I caught a few minutes of The Point with Marcia Kramer and one of her guests, a New York politician brought it up. I wondered if it would be a talking point in upcoming elections both here and in New York.
Morganna said:
ml1 said:
because we know it's not coming back.
I caught a few minutes of The Point with Marcia Kramer and one of her guests, a New York politician brought it up. I wondered if it would be a talking point in upcoming elections both here and in New York.
we can talk about it until the end of time but a GOP Congress is not going to do anything to reinstate the full SALT deduction.
ml1 said:
Morganna said:
ml1 said:
because we know it's not coming back.
I caught a few minutes of The Point with Marcia Kramer and one of her guests, a New York politician brought it up. I wondered if it would be a talking point in upcoming elections both here and in New York.
we can talk about it until the end of time but a GOP Congress is not going to do anything to reinstate the full SALT deduction.
Trump promised to lift the SALT cap during his campaign. He was probably lying but we’ll see.
yahooyahoo said:
Trump promised to lift the SALT cap during his campaign. He was probably lying but we’ll see.
Thanks, I just read it. I'm hopeful. As all property taxes are even higher now, I hope it happens. Gottheimer made a good point about some of the people effected.
Morganna said:
yahooyahoo said:
Trump promised to lift the SALT cap during his campaign. He was probably lying but we’ll see.
Thanks, I just read it. I'm hopeful. As all property taxes are even higher now, I hope it happens. Gottheimer made a good point about some of the people effected.
I'll buy you all a drink if Congress reinstates the full SALT deduction. But it isn't going to happen, because...
- Trump is a liar
- The GOP loves sticking it to the states that vote Democratic.
ml1 said:
I'll buy you all a drink if Congress reinstates the full SALT deduction. But it isn't going to happen, because...
- Trump is a liar
- The GOP loves sticking it to the states that vote Democratic.
I got the same response from my ex husband when I quoted the article. Honestly, if I don't encounter some bloody optimism soon, I'm going to need that drink.
Morganna said:
ml1 said:
I'll buy you all a drink if Congress reinstates the full SALT deduction. But it isn't going to happen, because...
- Trump is a liar
- The GOP loves sticking it to the states that vote Democratic.
I got the same response from my ex husband when I quoted the article. Honestly, if I don't encounter some bloody optimism soon, I'm going to need that drink.
optimism is good. But let's save it for things that have a possibility of happening. It's a waste of time to hope for things that have no chance.
Let's not spend our time in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
ml1 said:
optimism is good. But let's save it for things that have a possibility of happening. It's a waste of time to hope for things that have no chance.
Let's not spend our time in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
is there any possibility of anything good coming out of Washington for the next two years?
I'm thinking meteor strike.
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I suppose I should clarify that I am most interested in talking about the Democratic candidates to take over for Phil Murphy. Right now there are four who have declared:
Ras Baraka
Steve Fulop
Sean Spiller
Stephen Sweeney
Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill are also rumored to be imminently announcing their candidacies.
I am most interested in a Sherrill candidacy. It’s probably because she’s our representative, but also because it’s embarrassing that this state has only ever had one woman as governor, and that was a Republican. None of the other names really excite me very much. The two Steves have been around for a while. Ras Baraka doesn’t seem like a candidate that would generate a lot of statewide support, in my opinion.
I also don’t think having an NJEA president as our candidate would be fruitful. To me, I think he’s in too narrow of a silo, and he kind of seems like a special interest candidate.