Democratic New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer has announced his candidacy for governor in 2025, emphasizing the importance of standing up to President-elect Donald Trump in the wake of what he described as a 'horrible' election outcome. Gottheimer, who is entering a competitive Democratic field for the gubernatorial race, expressed his concerns over Trump's victory, labeling it a 'terrible loss for America.'
During a recent event at a diner in South Hackensack, Gottheimer underscored the need to confront Trump on various critical issues such as abortion, the environment, and gun safety. He highlighted the shared goals among gubernatorial candidates on healthcare, the environment, and gun safety, while also emphasizing the importance of defending abortion rights against what he referred to as 'extremist attacks on women's health care,' advocating for the reinstatement of Roe v. Wade.
Asserting his commitment to challenging Trump, Gottheimer outlined his primary focus as governor, which would be to address the high cost of living in New Jersey. He pointed out that New Jersey currently ranks as the fourth most expensive state in the nation and pledged to concentrate on reducing taxes and overall expenses for residents.
Gottheimer's entry into the gubernatorial race adds to the already crowded field of Democratic contenders, including former state Sen. Stephen Sweeney, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. On the Republican side, candidates vying for the nomination include former gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former state Sen. Ed Durr, talk radio host Bill Spadea, as well as Robert Canfield, Jim Fazzone, Hans Herberg, and Robert Bacon.
