New Jersey
Closely divided House means tough choices ahead for House Dems running for gov • New Jersey Monitor
On Wednesday afternoon, the Associated Press reported that Democrat Derek Tran flipped a California House seat held by GOP Rep. Michelle Steel.
Why does this matter to New Jersey voters? Well, with another California Democrat leading in a Republican-held district that has yet to be called, Republicans are looking at a House majority in January that could end up being a whopping total of two votes.
Coincidentally, over here on the best coast, two is the number of New Jersey House Democrats who have recently decided to seek their party’s nomination for governor next year.
In such a closely divided House, will the gubernatorial ambitions of Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill affect key legislation because they’re up here campaigning instead of down in D.C. voting?
Both campaigns said they can indeed seek the governorship and tend to their House duties at the same time.
Sherrill campaign spokesman Sean Higgins noted the Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked her as the most effective House member from New Jersey during the last House session “because of her commitment to delivering for the people she serves.” Gottheimer was ranked No. 4 for New Jersey’s 12-member House delegation.
“Mikie will stay in close coordination with House Democratic leadership on the vote schedule and will always fight to protect the interests of New Jersey families,” Higgins said.
As for Gottheimer, Zach Florman, his communications director, said, “As ever, the Congressman will be at every critical vote and is already working closely with leadership to ensure that.”
Both Sherrill and Gottheimer have missed at least one vote since they launched their gubernatorial bids. On the evening of Nov. 18 — that’s the day Sherrill announced her campaign for governor — the House voted in favor of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which is intended to bridge gaps in the services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Sherrill and Gottheimer were the only two members of New Jersey’s House delegation who did not vote on it. Three days later, Gottheimer was the only New Jersey House member to miss two votes, including one on a bill that would give the Trump administration more power to punish nonprofits it doesn’t like (Sherrill voted no). Two of those bills passed with an overwhelming majority and the nonprofit bill passed with 35 votes, so their presence in D.C. for those votes would not have changed anything.
I asked Steve Fulop about this. He’s the mayor of Jersey City and one of the six Democrats hoping to succeed a term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (the others are Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, teachers union chief Sean Spiller, and former state Sen. Steve Sweeney).
Of all of Sherrill’s and Gottheimer’s primary opponents, Fulop has been the most critical of them, chiding them for seeking reelection to the House this month while also readying their campaigns for governor. He has lobbed enough bombs in their direction on social media that a Sherrill supporter said Fulop is “thirsting for engagement.”
Fulop told me he thinks Sherrill’s and Gottheimer’s campaigns put Democrats at risk of letting President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda eke through the House.
“In a time of Trump where the House of Representatives will be the front line of defense every resident in NJ should be offended that they were lied to during the congressional campaign by Mikie and Josh. It’s unheard of to tell people you want a job and then to bail on it before even being sworn in and it speaks to their own ego about having a title above the goal of service,” Fulop said in an email.
Spiller also cited Trump when asked to comment.
“As Democrats we all need to be fully focused on defending against a Trump agenda. As an educator, and leader in New Jersey, I have the experience and am prepared to stand up to his agenda and for New Jersey values,” he said in a statement from his campaign.
To be fair, Gottheimer and Sherrill have great attendance records. GovTrack says both miss few votes: Gottheimer was absent for 1.3% of votes in his first term, and since then that percentage hasn’t risen above 1%, while Sherrill missed 0.6% of votes in her first term and 3% in her second (numbers for their current terms are not available).
House members missing votes because they’re off campaigning for another job is a tale as old as time. Earlier this year, Rep. Andy Kim was criticized by then-opponent first lady Tammy Murphy for missing a vote on a bill to ban TikTok. But at that time, in March, the GOP had a six-vote majority. If it ends up being just two starting in January, Democrats will need every body they have in D.C. What happens if Sherrill has a big-dollar fundraiser in Montclair or Gottheimer has a meet-and-greet with voters in Asbury Park and the House decides at the last minute to vote on a major bill? What gets the priority, the job they have now or they job they want in January 2026? We’ll find out very soon.
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New survey data released May 13 suggests affordability pressures are increasingly shaping whether older New Jersey residents stay or leave the state.
More than one-third of residents age 45 and older – 35% – said they have considered leaving New Jersey in the past year, according to a new AARP New Jersey “Vital Voices” survey. Among those weighing a move, 67% said the high cost of living is a primary reason.
The findings come as state lawmakers continue discussions centered on property taxes, utility costs and policies aimed at helping residents age in place.
“New Jersey should be a place where people can afford to grow older, not a place they feel forced to leave,” Chris Widelo, state director of AARP New Jersey, said in a statement. “Right now, rising costs are pushing people out.”
NJ property taxes, utilities driving concern
Affordability pressures extend across multiple key household costs.
Property taxes remain a central concern, with 53% of respondents citing them as a factor in considering leaving the state. The survey also found strong support for the Stay NJ program, which provides eligible homeowners with up to $6,500 in annual property tax relief.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) said they support keeping the program intact, including maintaining the full benefit.
Rising utility costs are also a growing concern. About 89% of respondents said they are worried about increasing electricity bills, including a majority who said they are “very concerned.”
Support for caregiving relief, transparency
The survey highlights financial and logistical pressures facing caregivers, as more residents provide unpaid care for aging relatives.
More than half – 54% – of adults age 45 and older said they have served as unpaid caregivers. A majority said caregiving costs are a financial concern, and 86% expressed support for a caregiver tax credit.
Respondents also backed greater oversight of long-term care facilities. Strong majorities said they support requirements for nursing homes to disclose ownership, staffing levels and financial arrangements, along with greater transparency in how Medicaid funding is spent.
What it means for NJ budget talks
The findings underscore a broader policy debate in Trenton over how to address affordability challenges while maintaining services.
AARP New Jersey is urging state leaders to prioritize policies that reduce financial strain on older adults, including property tax relief, utility affordability and support for caregivers.
“This survey sends a clear message,” Widelo said. “If New Jersey wants to remain a place where people can age with dignity, we must focus on making it more affordable to stay.”
This story was created by reporter Joe Martino, jmartino@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
New Jersey
24-year-old elected mayor of NJ town as incumbent faced backlash in wake of massive warehouse fire
BELLEVILLE, New Jersey (WABC) — Frank Vélez, a 24-year-old town councilman, was elected as the new mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, on Tuesday.
Vélez may be young, but he has years of experience after he became involved in politics at 19 because his sister has special needs.
He has served on the school board in Belleville and the town council, and he was on the staff of former congressman Bill Pascrell.
Vélez said his win is a testament to hard work.
“We ran on getting back to the basics, the quality of life. Talking about responsible development and just talking about getting back to the priorities of working people,” Vélez said.
Incumbent Michael Melham faced backlash for his handling of a massive warehouse fire that shut down schools for more than a week.
There has been growing pessimism in town, highlighted by the massive 14-alarm warehouse fire this month that caused residents to evacuate and schools to shut down for days.
Parents and educators wrote a joint letter critical of Melham and school leadership for failing to communicate with parents during the emergency.
“In the hours and days following the fire, our community was left navigating uncertainty with little or no official instruction, resorting to group chats and scavenging social media for guidance or information, both of which should have been provided by the government that we entrust for such tasks,” the letter read in part.
Vélez said he’s ready to get to work.
“I feel grateful. I am humbled, and I’m just- just so ready to get to work as the next mayor of Belleville. And I’m so grateful to everyone for support. This was a resounding victory,” Vélez said.
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Round-trip bus fares for fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been cut by 75% as officials scrambled to secure backup transportation between the Big Apple and New Jersey, a new report said.
The New York/New Jersey host committee slashed fares from $80 to $20 for ticket holders traveling from three Manhattan locations to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ — and boosted capacity from 10,000 to 18,000 seats by adding yellow school buses for the eight World Cup games, The Athletic reported.
Buses will shuttle up to 18,000 people on non-school matchdays, and about 12,000 on school-day games between June 13 and July 19.
The steep price cut comes after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pumped $6 million into hacking down fares – with the investment setting aside about 20% of bus tickets for state residents who have purchased match tickets, the outlet reported.
Sources familiar with ticket sales told the Athletic that about 25% to 30% of tri-state area residents have already scooped up admissions for games at MetLife Stadium.
Alongside the major investment, Highland Fleets, which manages electric school bus fleets, worked with the New York City School Bus Umbrella Services – after contacting Hochul, the committee, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani – to secure additional buses, with about 300 hitting the road on peak matchdays.
The transit rides will leave from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a Midtown east location east of Grand Central Terminal, and a Midtown North location west of Central Park, the outlet reported.
Highland Fleets chief operating officer Ben Schutzman said the goal was to create “affordable and accessible” bus services during the World Cup, while a Mamdani spokesperson praised the mayor’s support for discounted rides for ticketholders.
“Mayor Mamdani supports any effort that makes transportation more affordable for New Yorkers – including reduced-cost buses for World Cup ticketholders,” the mayor’s rep told the outlet.
“We look forward to rolling out additional free and affordable events to ensure that all New Yorkers can enjoy the World Cup.”
The price-slashing effort comes days after New Jersey Transit trimmed its widely slammed World Cup fare hike by 30% after securing funding from “sponsors and other sources.”
The new price will be set at $105 for a round-trip ticket from Manhattan to MetLife after fares were bumped more than 1,000% from the standard $12.90 ticket to a whopping $150.
The eight games being played at the Garden State stadium are set for June 13, June 16, June 22, June 25, June 27, June 30, July 5, and July 19.
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