The home state of Hollywood A-listers like Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson and Michael B. Jordan, New Jersey is staying true to its star-studded roots, becoming one of the nation’s most sought-after film destinations in recent years.

Adam Sandler, Timothée Chalamet, Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix have all embraced the Garden State as a film hub, since Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Film and Digital Media Tax Credit in 2018. In 2023, 547 projects were filmed in New Jersey, generating $592 million, compared with $67 million in 2017, according to Variety.

Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, who assumed the role in 2018, told FOX Business that the emerging impact of the state’s film industry goes far beyond A-list actors and box office buzz.

NETFLIX BREAKS GROUND ON $1B NEW JERSEY STUDIO AS TRUMP PUSHES FOR MOVIES TO BE MADE IN AMERICA

“Film and TV started in New Jersey, way back in the day under Thomas Edison, in Fort Lee, New Jersey. We were Hollywood before there was a Hollywood,” said Sullivan. “We’re bringing ourselves back to the top of the pack with major investments, because we see a huge economic opportunity here. It’s fun to have celebrities running around making movies, but it’s really impactful to small businesses, construction workers and vendors who support the industry,” Sullivan said. 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos pose as they break ground on a new studio in New Jersey. (Netflix / Fox News)

Netflix recently broke ground in May on its $1 billion project that is expected to transform the Fort Monmouth army installation into a nearly 500,000-foot production studio. Lionsgate also announced their forthcoming 300,000-square-foot production facility in Newark in 2022, along with a 1.6-million-square-foot film and television space in Bayonne.

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For Sullivan, the commitment to long-term production made by Netflix, Lionsgate and 1888 Studios – named after the year Thomas Edison patented the motion film camera – means “a ton of jobs for New Jersey residents.”

“Carpentry, electricians, set design, costume design, hair and makeup, catering, craft services, security, lighting, all kinds of jobs  that are supported by the film industry,” he added.

The 12-acre, $125 million-plus facility will be owned and operated through a joint venture between Great Point Studios and private investment firm Lindsay Goldberg. It will be located in Newark’s South Ward at the site of the former Seth Boyden Housi (Lionsgate Entertainment)

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Sullivan suggested that New Jersey will be a “top three film destination” once the production studios are up-and-running. While Lionsgate and Netflix have expected completion dates in 2027 and 2028 respectively, 1888 Studios anticipates full operation by 2026.

New Jersey’s recent work to incentivize the film industry comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to keep film production in America. President Donald Trump announced in early May a plan to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-produced movies.

Former Salem County Republican Chairman Fran Grenier has made a political comeback, ousting an incumbent in a race for GOP State Committeeman this morning.

Grenier, whose 2017 bid to unseat Senate President Steve Sweeney triggered what may be the most expensive legislative race in American history, ousted Rob Zuest in a 27-9 landslide.

Another former county chair, Linda DuBois, was elected State Committeewoman; she replaces Joan Merlino, who did not seek re-election.

Zuest, the Pittsgrove GOP municipal chairman, unseated incumbent Michael Mulligan in 2021.  Under a new state law approved this year, voters no longer elect state committee members; instead, they are chosen by a vote of the county committee.

The New Jersey Republican State Committee is made up of one man and one woman from each of the 21 counties.  Salem, the state’s smallest county, has the same number of votes as Bergen.  Democrats allocate their state committee seats by population.

The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) spent nearly $5 million to help Grenier defeat Sweeney that year.  Grenier received just 41% of the vote – the weakest showing by any Republican against Sweeney.

Republican Freeholder Bob Vanderslice lost by seven points, leaving the GOP a narrow 3-2 control of county government. But five days before Christmas, Freeholder Melissa DeCastro said she was switching parties – flipping control to the Democrats. Sweeney helped engineer DeCastro’s party switch.

Salem had been politically competitive for years. Donald Trump won it with 55% of the vote in 2016, but Barack Obama carried it with 49.7% in 2012 and 50.8% in 2008. It went for Jeff Bell (51%) in his 2014 U.S. Senate race against Cory Booker, but also for Bob Menendez (52%) in 2012. Chris Christie won it twice, as Jon Corzine carried the county in 2005.

After DuBois, a former Pittsgrove mayor, succeeded Grenier, Salem became a solidly red county.  Republicans won majority control of the Salem County Board of Commissioners in 2018 and held on to the County Clerk’s office after a competitive race in 2019.   Republicans carried Salem in the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Senate races, both times against incumbent Democrats.

Weeks after Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) switched parties, DuBois endorsed him for re-election to a second term.  Van Drew won 70% of the vote in the 2020 GOP primary and carried Salem by 3,395 votes against Democrat Amy Kennedy in the general election.

Jack Ciattarelli carried Salem County by a landslide 5,727-vote margin, a 62%-35% margin over Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.  Four years ago, Murphy lost Salem by just 815 votes.

In 2021, Republicans swept the 3rd legislative district, with Ed Durr (R-Logan) ousting Sweeney and the GOP picking up two Assembly seats.

Ciattarelli’s margin in Salem was 1,466 more than Murphy’s was in heavily Democratic Passaic County, which has eight times as many voters.

The only Republican loss in Salem came in 2020 when Bethanne McCarthy Patrick came within 801 votes of unseating veteran Democratic Surrogate Nickie Burke.

DuBois retired at the end of 2021 and was succeeded by Linwood Donelson III, who is undefeated in countywide races.

• Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill has received endorsements from several New Jersey labor unions, including AFSCME, AFL-CIO, JNESO and RWDSU.
• Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli has been endorsed by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 and Local 285.
• Local 825’s endorsement of Ciattarelli is a change, as they previously supported Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy against Ciattarelli.

New Jersey labor unions have started announcing their choices in the November election for governor.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, nearly all favor the Democrat in the race, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-NJ. Democrats have traditionally garnered more union support than Republicans.

But an anomaly has emerged since the first such announcement June 11, the day after the primary: The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 declared for Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

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It’s an unusual, but not unprecedented, move for Local 825 for pick a Republican for the job. The union supported outgoing Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in his two races, including a close one in 2021 against Ciattarelli.

These are the major union endorsements thus far.

AFSCME endorsement

On June 11, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees New Jersey Council 63 endorsed Sherrill.

“Mikie Sherrill has a deep respect for public service and a strong track record of standing with working people,” Executive Director Steve Tully said. “She understands the critical role that AFSCME members play in keeping our communities running, from public health and public safety to essential municipal and state services, and she knows that work is under attack.

AFL-CIO

On June 17, the New Jersey State American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations endorsed Sherrill.

“She understands the dignity of work, the importance of strong unions, and the role that labor plays in building a fair economy,” President Charles Wowkanech said. “As our next Governor, she’ll fight for quality and accessible health care for every family, for great public schools for every kid, and to make New Jersey more affordable for everyone.”

The state AFL-CIO has more than 1,000 affiliated local unions.

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JNESO

On June 17, the Jersey Nurses Economic Security Organization District Council 1, IUOE-AFL-CIO endorsed Sherrill.

“Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill knows how to keep people and our communities safe,” said Elfrieda Johnson, president of the JNESO Board of Directors. “She understands the need to protect health care workers and to ensure that affordable care is available to all New Jersey residents, especially our most vulnerable populations. She is committed to nurses and health care workers having the resources needed to protect their patients, and to continue providing the best quality care to keep patients healthy and safe.” 

Council 1 represents approximately 5,000 nurses, technologists, dieticians, social workers, case managers, and respiratory therapists at 19 facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Local 285

On June 19, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 285 endorsed Ciattarelli.

“We face an energy crisis, an affordability crisis, and a crisis of common sense,” Business Manager Greg Lalevee said. “The solutions are basic but may not be political popular. We need a governor that will tackle our challenges and not cave to the fringe political voices. Jack Ciattarelli understands New Jersey and what needs to be done to fix our great state.” 

Local 825, based in Springfield, has more than 8,000 members in New Jersey and in Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware counties in New York. 

RWDSU

On June 23, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union endorsed Sherrill.

“Mikie Sherrill is the kind of principled leader working people need in New Jersey,” President Stuart Applebaum said. “From fighting for union rights in Congress to supporting critical investments in public services, she’s demonstrated that she understands both the dignity of work and the needs of working families. She’s shown up for our members — not just with words, but with action — and we know she’ll continue to stand up for workers as governor.”