New Jersey Democrats vow to fight Trump in final gubernatorial debate
The top Democratic candidates running for governor of New Jersey faced off in their final debate Sunday night before next month's primary, vowing to take on President Donald Trump and laying out why they are best positioned to win in November.
Five of the six Democratic contenders — Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney — met Sunday night in a debate hosted by On New Jersey, the New Jersey Globe and Rider University. A sixth candidate, Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, did not meet the fundraising threshold to take part.
The candidates sparred for over 2½ hours over a variety of state-specific issues, from transit and education funding to taxes and state budgets. But they were united in resolving to take on Trump.
New Jersey is one of two states, along with Virginia, with governor's races this year, which could provide an early look at how voters are responding to Trump's second term. While the Virginia matchup is set, the New Jersey candidates first have to compete in the June 10 primary.
There are contested primaries on both sides, but former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli has led the GOP primary field, and he secured Trump's endorsement last week. The Democratic race has been more unpredictable, with a crowded field dividing voters.
Asked how schools and universities should navigate threats to federal funding if they do not comply with Trump's executive orders on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives or transgender issues, all five said institutions should resist the administration.
Fulop said, "We should absolutely be pushing back,' while Sweeney called Trump 'a criminal.' Gottheimer, referring to Trump as 'this guy,' said, 'The job of the governor is to fight him.'
Baraka — who was arrested on trespassing charges at a federal immigration detention facility this month — also said, 'We have to fight back.' He has denied any wrongdoing and argued that the charges were politically motivated. Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba, now the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, wrote on X after Baraka was arrested, 'NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.'
Sherrill, whom some consider the front-runner in the crowded race, called Trump 'the most corrupt president this nation has ever had' and likened him to a playground bully.
'This is not a federal government you can work with,' she said.
Sherrill and Gottheimer faced some criticism, particularly from Sweeney, for not doing enough to combat Trump and Republicans in Washington.
'We need to start winning some fights in Washington,' Sweeney said a few times throughout the debate.
The candidates also laid out their paths to victory in November, with the race expected to be competitive. Trump lost New Jersey by 6 percentage points last year, a 10-point improvement on his performance in the 2020 election.
Sherrill previewed a potential case against Ciattarelli, saying he 'has promised to DOGE New Jersey' and would not stand up to Trump (Ciattarelli has called for establishing a Department of Government Efficiency at the state level).
Both Sherrill and Gottheimer touted their victories in competitive House districts, and Gottheimer stressed his focus on reducing taxes and lowering costs.
Baraka pitched himself as the true progressive in the race, adding that progressive groups have endorsed him because 'they know I'm going to fight Donald Trump, not just in words but in action.'
Sweeney, meanwhile, said that he would be best equipped to run state government and that other candidates pitching themselves as Trenton outsiders would face a steep learning curve.
Fulop said in his opening statement that Ciattarelli 'will be tough to beat,' and he later said a candidate tied to the Democratic establishment, and particularly to Gov. Phil Murphy, would be 'dead on arrival in November.' (Murphy cannot run for re-election because of term limits.)
'It is not going to be only a referendum on Donald Trump because independent voters in the state of New Jersey, a lot of them voted for Donald Trump,' Fulop said, later adding, 'You need to move independent voters, you need to move Republican voters, with a clear vision of what New Jersey looks like.'
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
E&E News
24 minutes ago
- E&E News
Trump's coal frenzy clashes with market realities
President Donald Trump's mad dash to unleash more mining and burning of 'beautiful clean coal' across the U.S. is running face-first into unfavorable market realities. The president has vowed to reverse Biden-era policies, rev up U.S. mining, and keep aging coal-fired power plants alive. But hundreds of miners have been laid off in states like West Virginia in recent weeks, prices remain low and a growing number of small, metallurgical coal producers across the U.S. continue to declare bankruptcy. Last week, Core Natural Resources laid off 200 miners in West Virginia at a metallurgical coal mine. The announcement arrived after Coronado Global Resources laid off workers at its coal mine in the state. Miners were also laid off at Alpha Metallurgical Resources' mine in Boone County last year. At the same time, companies like Corsa Coal Corp. and Coking Coal, LLC, have declared bankruptcy, and some say the industry will continue to face turbulence. Advertisement 'I wouldn't be surprised if we see several other producers either go out of the market or … you'll see substantial cutbacks, layoffs,' Randall Atkins, founder of Kentucky-based Ramaco Resources, which mines both coal and rare earths, told POLITICO's E&E News. 'There are plenty of others that are not in good shape. There are more companies out there that are teetering.'
Politico
24 minutes ago
- Politico
Supreme Court limits outside access to DOGE records
The Supreme Court has reined in a lower-court order that allowed a watchdog group wide-ranging access to records of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. The high court's majority said a judge's directive allowing Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to examine DOGE's recommendations for cost savings at executive branch agencies was 'not appropriately tailored.' In a two-page order Friday, the Supreme Court said such access was not a proper way to resolve an ongoing dispute about whether DOGE is a federal agency subject to the Freedom of Information Act or operates as a presidential advisory body that does not have to share its records with the public. 'Separation of powers concerns counsel judicial deference and restraint in the context of discovery regarding internal Executive Branch communications,' the court's majority wrote. All three of the court's liberal justices indicated they disagreed with the decision, but none provided an explanation of her views.
Washington Post
25 minutes ago
- Washington Post
What happened in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs's trial: $100K payment, freak-offs and more this week
Drug-fueled freak-offs described in graphic detail, testimony of a $100,000 bribe and the judge's threat to kick Sean 'Diddy' Combs out of the proceedings are among the most prominent moments captured in the sex-trafficking trial of the hip-hop impresario this week. Since May 12, prosecutors have been building their case that Combs allegedly wielded his enormous power in the entertainment industry to coerce women into sex trafficking and used manipulation and bribery to coax his employees and other witnesses into helping him get away with crimes including physical assault and prostitution. In previous weeks, witnesses have included singer Cassie Ventura, rapper Kid Cudi and former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard. In a case this sprawling and this high profile, it can be tough to keep up — or weed out misinformation. Here's what you need to know.
