Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish Democrat, launches bid for New Jersey governor
He joins another Jewish Dem, Jersey City’s Mayor Steve Fulop, in the race
Josh Gottheimer has a dream: to be the country’s fourth Jewish Democratic governor named Josh.
Mr. Gottheimer, a member of Congress who represents New Jersey’s fifth district, announced that he is running to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, a term-limited Democrat completing his second term, in next year’s election. New Jersey’s District 5 includes Bergen County. Mr. Gottheimer, 49, is a moderate, pro-Israel Democrat who was just elected to his fifth term in Congress earlier this month.
In his campaign announcement, Mr. Gottheimer pledged to make life in the state more affordable and said he would “stand up to Trump,” the president-elect, on issues such as reproductive rights and gun control.
“As governor I’ll take on our affordability challenge and get things done for you,” he said in a campaign video. “I’ve never been afraid to buck conventional wisdom, to fight hard to get things done, to clean things up, and to stand up for Jersey and live up to our Jersey values.”
He also pledged to use law enforcement “against the antisemites who are harassing Jewish or any other communities all over this state.”
During his time in the House, Mr. Gottheimer has emphasized bipartisanship: He was one of the founders of the Problem Solvers Caucus, which he now co-chairs. Half of the group’s members are Democrats and half are Republican; it seeks to work across the aisle. Mr. Gottheimer has criticized members of the progressive wing of his party for opposing Israel and has emphasized such issues as cutting taxes (a conservative priority) and fighting climate change (a liberal one).
He has been criticized by Democrats for his centrist positions, but his down-the-middle approach could serve him well in the governor’s race, given the results of last week’s presidential election. Democrat Kamala Harris beat Republican Donald Trump by less than six percentage points in New Jersey. In 2020, by contrast, Joe Biden beat Trump in the state by nearly 16 points. (Murphy narrowly won his 2021 race for New Jersey governor against Republican Jack Ciattarelli.)
Mr. Gottheimer has emphasized his pro-Israel stance in response to Oct. 7, 2023, which launched the war in Gaza. Addressing the pro-Palestinian student encampment movement, he called on university administrations to “make clear what their plans are to protect Jewish students on campus.”
He also has also been outspoken about antisemitism from the right. He condemned Trump’s 2022 dinner with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and Kanye West, who had recently embarked on an antisemitic tirade. And he has repeatedly called for stronger action against antisemitism and terror groups on Elon Musk’s social network, X.
If Mr. Gottheimer is elected, he will join a U.S. governors’ conference that will include Democrats Josh Green of Hawaii, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Josh Stein, who was just elected governor of North Carolina. The first name of Illinois’s Jewish Democratic governor, J.B. Pritzker, is Jay.
Mr. Gottheimer is not the only Jewish Democrat to enter the race for governor. He joins Steve Fulop, Jersey City’s mayor, who declared his intention to run for the position months ago. Nor is he the only member of the New Jersey congressional delegation from the northern part of the state who is running. Just days after Mr. Gottheimer’s announcement, and as long expected, Rep. Mikie Sherill (D-Dist. 11, which includes much of MetroWest) also entered the race.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
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