The runoff for Jersey City’s mayor is drawing a surprising parallel to last month’s New York City battle. It pits former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey, who is known for a scandal that forced him to step down in 2004, against James Solomon, a 41‑year‑old councilman with two terms under his belt.
McGreevey, 68, is making a comeback after more than two decades away from public office. He’s challenging Solomon— a spirited downtown Democrat known for wrestling with developers and advocating rent limits— in a Tuesday showdown that will decide who leads the state’s second‑largest city.
Both men have made affordability their rallying cry. They emphasize the need for cheaper housing and seek to curb the tide of soaring property taxes as they head into the election. This focus mirrors the economic‑driven campaign in New York, where progressive newcomer Zohran Mamdani faces former governor Andrew Cuomo, who returned to politics after a sexual‑harassment controversy in 2021.
Cuomo rejects all claims of misconduct, while McGreevey is promising that his earlier experience will translate into fiscal prudence. Solomon, like Mamdani, has positioned himself as a non‑establishment candidate, pledging to protect renters from sky‑high developer prices and to enforce rent caps.
“Excuse my French, but New York City’s gotta get its s–t together,” Solomon said, critiquing the housing crisis that’s pushing residents out of the city into Jersey City. “We’ve built a ton of housing. But we are basically sucking up the demand that New York City has failed to build housing.”
Jersey City’s housing landscape has shifted dramatically over the past decade, with most new developments skewing toward luxury units along the waterfront and in downtown neighborhoods. Both McGreevey and Solomon support a mandate that at least 20 % of new projects include affordable units, though they differ on how to manage the rent caps.
McGreevey argues that a $1,000 rent cap on some affordable units is untenable, claiming it would require perpetual subsidies that could cost the city and taxpayers billions. Solomon countered that McGreevey’s support from developers implies shady ties and that the former governor is still clinging to outdated political ways that have made the city less affordable.
Property taxes in Jersey City have spiked sharply, largely because state funding for schools has lagged. McGreevey’s strategy is to focus on doing fewer initiatives but doing them well, pledging that his administration’s first year will see no hike in the municipal portion of the levy.
Both candidates also addressed the Trump administration’s push for tougher immigration enforcement in a city that is among the nation’s most diverse—almost 40 % of residents were born abroad—promising to defend the city’s sanctuary status and safeguard community members through legal means.
McGreevey has been backed by outgoing Democratic governor Phil Murphy and the city police union, who point to “experience” as the reason voters should choose him. He has a chip on the side, saying, “I mean, you know, no disrespect, but James has never managed anything.”
On Nov. 4, the race stalled before the 50 % threshold was reached. Solomon captured 29.2 % of the vote, just ahead of McGreevey’s 25.1 %. Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea earned 21.5 %. Solomon is backed by the majority of other candidates on the ballot, including Senator James Kim, while McGreevey enjoys the support of Murphy and the police union.
In the end, the runoff will determine whether a former governor or a local councilman will steer Jersey City through its housing, tax, and community challenges.
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