Fulop’s candidacy could be caught in tangled web
The Hudson County Democrats jumped in with two feet to get behind the candidacy of Tammy Murphy for the U.S. Senate. At the endorsement announcement, Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) Chair, Anthony Vainieri, was joined by 11 Mayors (including Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop), 9 State Legislators and the organization’s candidate for County Executive, Craig Guy.
Chairman Vainieri announced that First Lady Murphy will run on the HCDO ballot line in the June 2024 Democratic Primary. He said: “From her strong record of advocating for progressive policy initiatives like protecting women and children’s health, to her incredible success raising millions of dollars for families in desperate need during the pandemic, to her business background and her long political record as a renowned Democratic fundraiser, it’s clear that Tammy Murphy is a uniquely qualified candidate for the U.S. Senate.”
Conspicuously absent was Hoboken Mayor Ravinder (Ravi) Bhalla, who has raised $509,000 for a challenge against Congressman Robert Menendez Jr., in CD8. Menendez Jr., is the son of Senator Robert Menendez, who is currently facing federal bribery corruption charges and has not as yet indicated whether he will run for re-election.
In making their endorsement of Murphy, the HCDO Chair emphasized her progressive bona fides. I wonder whether the HCDO sought and was able to secure a commitment of support from the Governor for Fulop’s run for Governor in 2025, or at least a promise that the Governor will remain neutral in the race and not get behind another candidate.
No matter how much the HCDO argues that their choice of Tammy Murphy was based on her history of advocacy for progressive policy initiatives, it is not going to resonate with New Jersey Progressives who are strongly supporting the candidacy of Congressman Andy Kim. This could definitely hurt Fulop’s 2025 run for Governor.
Fulop’s 2025 plans could be further negatively impacted by his breaking with the HCDO’s endorsement of Robert Menendez Jr. for Congress. Whether this decision was the result of the longstanding bad blood between the Menendez family and Fulop, or a more fundamental rift within the HCDO, is an open question.
Hypocritically, based on his endorsement of Tammy Murphy, here is what Fulop said: “When Senator Menendez first got indicted, I thought maybe I could separate the father and son, and I even expressed that to Rob. As time went on, I realized it is impossible to do that and the situations are tied together. It’s not a secret that Rob got to Congress only because of his dad’s influence, so it’s fair to move on from Rob now because of that same influence.” Fulop’s statement clearly suggests that Menendez Jr.’s congressional seat was a product of nepotism, not merit.
Menendez Jr. quickly responded to Fulop in full attack mode: “I’m honored to have the support of the Hudson County Democratic Organization and Chair Vainieri, County Executive-Elect Guy, Senators Stack and Sacco, and the vast majority of Hudson County mayors, all of whom are dedicated to the residents they serve. With respect to Steve, he has been running for governor unsuccessfully since he was elected mayor in 2013, always at the expense of Jersey City residents. Steve’s absence from the city — whether spending time at his Rhode Island mansion preventing people from accessing the beach or traveling the state for his own political ambition — has led to a housing affordability crisis, a broken budget and 911 calls that go unanswered. Steve Fulop is right that it’s time to move on — time to move on from his failed leadership in Jersey City.”
The linchpin of Fulop’s run in the 2025 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary race is the unified support and endorsement of the HCDO. He must come out of Hudson County with a huge plurality to win the Primary. If Fulop decides to side with his political ally, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, in a primary against Menendez Jr., this could further contribute to a schism in Hudson County that could threaten Fulop’s base of support in Hudson beyond Jersey City.
Even in his hometown of Jersey City, Fulop faces the possibility of being on the wrong side of the November 2025 election to replace him as Mayor. The race will pit former New Jersey Governor, James McGreevy, against County Commissioner Bill O’Dea and a host of other candidates. Powerful Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack is in McGreevy’s corner and his long-time rival Senator Nick Sacco of North Bergen is flirting with supporting Bill O’Dea. Announced Gubernatorial candidate Steve Sweeney trekked up from South Jersey to be at the McGreevy campaign kick-off. So far Fulop has not endorsed any candidate to succeed him as Mayor.
While the Fulop has the support of the HCDO, former Senate President Sweeney’s close ties with Brian Stack could muddy the waters for Fulop. The situation could become more complicated if Ravi Bhalla secures the support of Andy Kim for his outside-the-column run against Menendez Jr. This is a move that would make sense for Kim as both he and Bhalla are running against candidates who got where they are because of nepotism.
In that scenario, Steve Fulop would be caught between a rock and hard place — breaking with HCDO over Menendez Jr., and potentially alienating the Murphy campaign for endorsing a congressional candidate aligned with a primary opponent of Tammy Murphy. The situation was further complicated by the announcement that Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, another 2025 candidate for Governor, has enthusiastically endorsed Robert Menendez Jr.’s re-election bid.
Hudson County-style politics can often be a very tangled web. Perhaps in an attempt to shore up his progressive credentials, Steve Fulop has come out against Governor Murphy’s desire to sunset the Corporate Business Tax. Fulop favors making the tax permanent and dedicating the funding for NJ TRANSIT, a position that Senate President Nicolas Scutari has indicated he supports.
In Mercer County, Fulop has secured the endorsement of Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and former Hopewell Township Mayor Julie Blake. It will be interesting to see whether our new County Executive Dan Benson shows a willingness to use some of his political chits early on and get behind a candidate for Governor or whether he will play it more closely to the vest.