Jersey City voters will head to the polls Tuesday for a runoff to determine whether or not Jim McGreevey, who resigned from the New Jersey governorship in scandal greater than 20 years in the past, will full a political comeback and turn into their subsequent mayor.
McGreevey stepped down lower than midway into his first time period, admitting to an extramarital affair and disclosing that he was homosexual, amid accusations that he abused his official power to pursue a romantic relationship with an aide.
McGreevey will face metropolis councilman James Solomon. The pair have been the highest vote-getters in a broad discipline in November’s basic election, however neither candidate garnered the required majority to keep away from a runoff: Solomon acquired round 29% of the vote to McGreevey’s 25%.
The race is non-partisan, however each McGreevey and Solomon are Democrats. Solomon, the progressive candidate to the extra average McGreevey, has collected endorsements from most of his main opponents and Sen. Andy Kim. McGreevey has the endorsement of outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy.
In a recent debate on WPIX-TV, each candidates targeted on decreasing rents in Jersey City and attempting to construct extra inexpensive housing, echoing the nationwide Democratic deal with affordability, together with considerations about immigration enforcement and schooling.
“Every family deserves a shot to stay in this special city, and that’s what I’m going to be focused on,” Solomon mentioned.
But McGreevey famous in an October interview with The Associated Press, prior to creating the runoff, that changing into mayor could be “a great closing act.”
“My opponents may care about what happened 20 years ago,” McGreevey advised the AP. “Folks in Jersey City are worried about their rent today, worried about the children’s individual education plan today. They’re concerned about the fact that the street is dirty or that there’s a sewer break on Montgomery (Street).”
Jersey City has had the identical mayor, Steve Fulop, since 2013. Fulop declined to run for one more time period in Jersey City to run for governor, dropping within the Democratic main to now Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill.