New Jersey’s 2025 governor’s race is already drawing attention, even though the general election isn’t until November 4, 2025.
Over a dozen candidates are running, but many voters in the state don’t know who they are.
A Rutgers Eagleton poll showed that most people are unfamiliar with the names, partly because New Jersey doesn’t have its own TV or radio stations.
Instead, people rely on media from New York and Philadelphia, which makes it harder for candidates to stand out.
Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, cannot run again due to term limits.
His eight years in office will end in 2025.
In 2021, Murphy barely won reelection, beating Republican Jack Ciattarelli by just three points, which was much closer than his 14-point win in 2017.
During the 2024 presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey by less than six percentage points––being the smallest margin for a Democrat in decades.
Although Democrats still have more than 900,000 registered voters than Republicans, the gap has been shrinking.
On the Democratic side, Mikie Sherrill, a congresswoman from North Jersey, is seen as a leading candidate.
Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and prosecutor, has focused on making childcare more affordable, building housing for middle-income families, and protecting against floods.
She has been recognized as one of New Jersey’s most effective lawmakers.
Another top Democrat is Josh Gottheimer, a Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties congressman.
Gottheimer leads a bipartisan group in Congress and talks about cutting taxes, attracting jobs, and reducing government waste.
And he has raised over $20 million for his campaign.
Other Democrats in the race include Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, who promises to double housing production, expand Medicaid, and make the state budget fairer.
Steven Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, is also running. He’s focusing on his efforts to grow the economy and build more housing in New Jersey’s second-largest city.
Sean Spiller, who leads the New Jersey Education Association and was once Montclair’s mayor, focuses on education and defending public schools.
And Steve Sweeney, a former state Senate president, brings years of political experience and plans to lower taxes and make life more affordable.
On the Republican side, Jack Ciattarelli is running again after his close loss to Murphy in 2021.
His campaign focuses on lowering taxes, giving families more school choices, and shrinking the state government.
Conservative radio host Bill Spadea, a strong Trump supporter, is also in the race, as he pushes for stricter immigration rules and conservative changes to schools.
State Senator Jon Bramnick, who has criticized Trump, describes himself as a more traditional Republican and focuses on financial responsibility and protecting abortion rights.
Edward Durr, a former truck driver who surprised many by defeating Sweeney in 2021, wants to reduce government involvement and support working-class families.
That said, the race is facing an unexpected issue with scheduling.
The primary election is set for June 3, 2025, which coincides with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
Thus, many Jewish voters will be unable to travel or use electronics that day, and it could affect their ability to vote.
More than 60 rabbis and community leaders have asked to change the primary date to avoid this conflict.
Several candidates, including Mikie Sherrill, Josh Gottheimer, Steve Sweeney, and Jon Bramnick, have supported moving the date to make voting easier for everyone.
This election will be an important moment for New Jersey.
Voters are concerned about issues like affordability, schools, and the government’s role in their lives.
Both parties try to win over moderates and independents as they campaign across the state.
With the primary less than a year away and the general election in November, this race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched elections in recent years.
