New Jersey
Harris or Trump: North Jersey voters share who is their choice
Trump or Harris? How will various ethnic groups in North Jersey vote on election day?
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Rhona Vega was planning to vote for President Joe Biden for another four-year term when she heard the news that he would step aside and had endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic Party nominee for president. Vega said it was easy for her to accept the switch and she plans to vote for Harris, and she believes she will win.
“Folks are just fed up with nonsense,” said Vega, a Black woman from Teaneck married to a Latino man. “We need to get back to focusing on making sure this country is running correctly. That we’re thinking of everyone … we’re not dividing the country.”
Ronald Lin, a Taiwanese American who resides in Franklin Lakes, said he voted for Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and plans to do so again on Election Day.
“I always voted for a candidate who made the most sense,” Lin said. “Most of the people who support Donald Trump, they like him because of his policies because they align with common sense.”
Is it possible that Trump will do better with voters from various ethnic groups in New Jersey on Election Day than in the 2020 presidential election?
Could Harris get more votes in various ethnic groups than Biden did in the Garden State four years ago?
As of Tuesday, both Harris and Trump had vice presidential running mates. Harris on Tuesday morning announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her VP choice. Trump’s running mate is Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.
NorthJersey.com spoke to some voters from different ethnic backgrounds across North Jersey about why they would vote for either Harris or Trump.
By the numbers
The results of the 2020 presidential election in New Jersey showed that 71% of the total voters were white, 11% Black, 11% Latino, 3% Asian and 3% other. They were based on estimates from the VoteCast survey conducted for the Associated Press by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago the week before the 2020 election.
Trump captured 49% of the white vote and Biden received 50%. The former president got only 12% of the Black vote, while the current president took 86% of the Black vote. Trump did better with Latinos and Asians, at 27% and 23% respectively, but Biden still got the lion’s share of votes from both groups, with 72% Latino and 76% Asian.
Michael Unger, an associate professor of political science at Ramapo College, said Harris could be more appealing to Black and Asian voters as well as Latinos in New Jersey, not only because of her biracial background, but — especially among an Asian electorate — due to Rep. Andy Kim’s run for the Senate seat vacated by Bob Menendez after his conviction in July for accepting bribes.
“My guess would be that there could be an increase in turnout because of having an Asian American near the top of the ticket, which is very different from an indicted senator,” Unger said.
He said Republicans like Trump could appeal to Black, Latino and Asian voters in the coming election because members of those ethnic groups are not monoliths at the polls.
“There are different ideological strains or different ideological leanings among some members of these groups, and on social issues, say with African Americans, there’s more social conservatism,” Unger said.
Ronald Lin
Ronald Lin was destined to be a Republican. He was named after then-President Ronald Reagan by his parents, who were recent immigrants from Taiwan. Being part of the GOP stayed with him: He named his first child after Donald Trump and ran for office (but lost) on the Republican ticket for a seat on the Bergen County Board of Commissioners in 2021.
Lin, 42, said he is choosing to vote for Trump not based on how he appeals to him as an Asian American voter but based on Trump’s previous experience in the White House and what Lin said is his personality.
“I think a lot of people like Donald Trump because he’s a very likable guy and projects strength, as we all saw when he was almost assassinated,” Lin said. “Most people would probably have been ducking, but he stood up and pumped his fist and told the crowd to fight.”
Lin said he thought East Asians, such as those from Taiwan, would be more likely to vote for Trump, but South Asians, such as those from India, would vote for Harris. Trump appeals to conservative Asian Americans, because, Lin said, Trump believes in family values and law and order. However, he could see Harris affecting Trump’s vote total among Asians in New Jersey.
“Kamala Harris being on the presidential ticket and her ethnicity might put a dent to it,” Lin said. “There’s a large Indian American population in New Jersey that I suspect will probably overwhelmingly support Kamala Harris. So I think that might deflate the numbers a bit for Trump.”
Rhona Vega
Rhona Vega sees Kamala Harris getting more votes in Asian, Black and Latino communities in New Jersey than Joe Biden because of her record as a senator and as vice president.
“As a politician, the work she has done in all communities, I think it’s a no-brainer,” Vega said. “I think she will get more support than she probably ever thought she would get, and I think that’s beautiful.”
Vega, 59, said she is “proud of the enthusiasm” about Harris being the Democratic presidential nominee. She saw the enthusiasm firsthand on July 21 after Biden’s announcement, when she took part in a Zoom call that evening organized by the collective Win with Black Women, attended by over 44,000 Black women coming together with the goal of electing Harris as the first woman president and the first Black female and South Asian one. In the three hours of the call, more than $1.6 million was raised.
Vega said she also hopes that her fellow African Americans will channel their enthusiasm into getting to the voting booth in November, recalling Trump’s comments during the June 27 presidential debate in Atlanta when he referred falsely to immigrants taking jobs from Black workers.
“My husband was watching it, and I happened to walk in at that moment when he was saying, ‘Black jobs.’ I thought, ‘What in the world?’,” Vega said. “As Black people, as humans, we have one Black job, and that is to vote.”
Milan Patel
Milan Patel is a Montclair resident who lives with his wife, who is Jewish, and their two children. Patel, 50, born to Indian immigrant parents, said he would vote for Harris. He was energized yet nervous about her entrance into the presidential race because he didn’t have a lot of confidence in Biden’s serving another term if reelected.
“I would say a mixture of relief and maybe a little bit of anxiety, panic and excitement mixed together,” Patel said as he remembered how poorly she performed during her previous presidential run, in 2020.
But Patel is more open to her as a presidential candidate this time.
“When I have seen Harris speak recently, she seems to have really gained confidence and a much different tone in her speaking style and in her communication style, which was one of my concerns,” Patel said. “She was more polished than she was four years ago.”
Patel said he hopes to see Harris elected, as it would be an opportunity not only to see the first president of Indian heritage in his lifetime but also for his children to see a woman of Indian heritage as a president of the United States.
“I think it is inspiring and would make a good role model for them as well. It would show how far Asians have come in a relatively short time in this country,” Patel said.
Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com
Twitter: @ricardokaul
New Jersey
Ice, freezing rain alerts expand to 10 N.J. counties. Wind advisory issued for 50 mph gusts Monday.
Winter weather advisories have been expanded to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain that could cause a dangerous layer of ice tonight.
The National Weather Service has also issued a wind advisory for 16 counties Monday with up to 50 mph gusts possible.
The more immediate concern is freezing rain already hitting the state Sunday evening.
Winter weather advisories for Bergen, Essex, Hudson Passaic and Union counties expire between 10 p.m. and midnight.
Winter weather advisories for Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties take effect at 6 p.m. and run through 2 a.m.
As temperatures remain near or below freezing across northern New Jersey this evening, precipitation will fall as freezing rain, particularly in Warren and Morris counties where a glaze to one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation is possible.
The National Weather Service warns that even areas outside the advisory that remain near freezing at the onset of precipitation could experience localized icing, especially on shaded surfaces that have remained below freezing for more than 36 hours.
Temperatures will rise above freezing areawide during the pre-dawn hours Monday as a warm front lifts through the region, changing any remaining freezing rain to plain rain.
A brief break in the rain is likely prior to daybreak Monday.
The warm front will be quickly followed by a strong cold front Monday afternoon, bringing another period of rain that may be moderate in intensity at times.
High temperatures Monday will reach the upper 40s along the coast before the cold front passes, bringing high winds to the area.
The wind advisory for 16 counties runs from 10 a.m. Monday to 1 p.m. Tuesday. Just Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties are not under wind advisories.
“Strong westerly winds develop Monday with wind gusts up to 50 mph and a wind advisory has been issued,” the weather service said Sunday evening. “Some tree damage and power outages possible.”
Tuesday will be markedly colder with high temperatures struggling to rise above freezing even at the Jersey Shore.
Wind chills in the teens and low 20s are expected during the day.
Skies will be partly cloudy with continued gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph.

Wednesday brings slightly milder conditions with highs in the mid 30s to near 40 degrees, though it remains well below normal for late December.
The extended forecast shows below-normal temperatures continuing through the end of the week and into the New Year.
Thursday may bring a chance of snow showers as a weak cold front passes through, though accumulations are expected to be light.
Friday looks dry with highs in the low to mid 30s.
Another weather system may impact the area late next weekend, potentially bringing a mix of rain and snow, though forecast confidence remains low for that timeframe.
Current weather radar
New Jersey
Deadly helicopter collision in New Jersey kills one, critically injures another
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
One person was killed and another critically injured when two helicopters collided and crash-landed in Hammonton, New Jersey, on Sunday morning, authorities said.
The Hammonton Police Department told Fox News Digital that it received calls of an aviation crash at approximately 11:25 a.m. involving two helicopters in the area of the 100 block of Basin Road.
Police, fire and EMS responded, extinguishing one helicopter that was engulfed in flames.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the crash, police said.
MIDAIR PLANE CRASH KILLS ONE PERSON NEAR COLORADO AIRPORT AS BOTH PLANES CATCH FIRE
Two helicopters collided Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Hammonton, N.J. (WTXF)
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way wrote on X that she has been updated on the midair collision.
The site of a deadly helicopter collision in Hammonton, N.J., on Dec. 28, 2025. (WTXF)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Hammonton Police Department, and @NJSP personnel are on the scene,” she said.
This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
New Jersey
New Jersey Celebrities Who Died in 2025
These actors and musicians all called the Garden State home at some point in their lives. Though they have passed, their work and spirits endure.
Peter Greene
1965-December 12, 2025
Born and raised in Montclair. Greene attended Montclair High School but dropped out before graduating, according to his IMDB biography, and ran away from home as a teenager, he revealed in a 1996 magazine interview. He struggled with homelessness and drug addiction before pursuing acting and became best known for his villainous roles in the films Pulp Fiction and The Mask. Greene was slated to begin production on an indie thriller this January, the New York Post reported. He was 60.
Eddie Palmieri
1936-August 6, 2025
Photo: Shutterstock/lev radin
The Grammy-winning musician was a New York City native but was living in Hackensack when he died at home at the age of 88. Palmieri’s decades-long career was “marked by his groundbreaking fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and jazz harmonies,” wrote Manahil Ahmad in an obituary for NorthJersey.com. “His orchestra La Perfecta, formed in the early 1960s, set a new standard for Latin music….showcasing his explosive piano style—a blend of precision, power and improvisational grit.”
Palmieri performed at the Montclair Jazz Festival in 2019. Earlier this month, on what would have been his 89th birthday, the festival posted a tribute on their Instagram account. “We are so thankful to Eddie for his music and his friendship!” it concluded. “Long may his legacy continue!”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
1970-July 20, 2025
The Jersey City-born actor, beloved for his role as Theodore “Theo” Huxtable on NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, died in an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica, ABC News reported. He was 54. Warner played Huxtable from 1984 to 1992, and was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series in 1986. More recently, he starred as a surgeon on Fox medical drama The Resident until the show ended in 2023.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Jersey City native Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” Governor Phil Murphy posted on social media. “[…] Malcom-Jamal brought joy and hope to millions of Americans. We are praying for the Warner family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Connie Francis
1937-July 16, 2025
The Newark-born pop singer, best known for ’50s and ’60s hits like “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Where the Boys Are,” passed away at the age of 87 this summer. Dubbed “the girl with the million-dollar cry” by Dick Clark, she was the first solo female artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Francis spent her early years in Brooklyn before her family moved back to New Jersey, where they lived in Newark’s Ironbound section and later Belleville. Francis attended Newark Arts High School for a few years before transferring to Belleville High School, where she graduated in 1955. She was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 at a 2017 ceremony held at Asbury Park’s Convention Hall.
Just two months before her death, Francis had responded to news that her deep cut “Pretty Little Baby” had gone viral on TikTo, six decades after its original release. “My thanks to TikTok and its members for the wonderful, and oh so unexpected, reception given to my 1961 recording,” she wrote in a Facebook post. Her publicist and record-label president, Rob Roberts, had informed her of her “viral hit”—a term she didn’t understand. “Clearly out of touch with present day music statistics terminology, my initial response was to ask: ‘What’s that?’” she continued. “Thank you everyone!”
Lenny Welch
1938-April 8, 2025
Though born in New York City, the pop singer was raised in Asbury Park, where he was shaped by the vibrant Black music scene on the city’s West Side. He attended Asbury Park High School and joined a local vocal group called the Mar-Keys, which, according to the Asbury Park Press, opened for Little Richard at city’s Savoy Theatre in the 1950s. He later became best known for his cover of “Since I Fell for You,” which hit number 4 on the Billboard chart in 1963.
During a 2011 panel about the history of race and music, Bruce Springsteen referred to Welch as “Mr. Asbury Park,” according to NJ.com. Later that year, Welch returned to his hometown to perform at the Soul of Asbury Park concert held at the Paramount Theatre. In 2012, he was inducted into Asbury Park High School’s Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. A few years before his death, in 2021, Welch told the Asbury Park Press that he thought about the city “every day” and hoped to return “before I leave this earth.” He said he wanted to “walk around, go up Springwood Avenue because that’s where I grew up….just walk up the street, look around, visit relatives’ gravesites […].” Welch died in Florida at the age of 86.


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