Jersey City voters go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether Jim McGreevey, who resigned as New Jersey governor in scandal more than 20 years ago, will make a political comeback and become their next mayor.
McGreevey left office less than halfway through his first term, admitting to an extramarital affair and revealing that he was gay, amid allegations that he abused his official power to pursue a romantic relationship with an aide.
McGreevey will face City Councilman James Solomon. The pair were the top vote-getters in the broader field in the November general election, but neither candidate won the majority needed to avoid a runoff: Solomon received nearly 29% of the vote to McGreevey’s 25%.
The race is non-partisan, but McGreevey and Solomon are both Democrats. Solomon, the more moderate McGreevey’s progressive candidate, has received endorsements from most of his primary opponents and Senator Andy Kim. McGreevey has the endorsement of outgoing Governor Phil Murphy.
In a recent debate on WPIX-TV, both candidates focused on trying to lower rents and create more affordable housing in Jersey City, while also echoing the national Democratic focus on affordability along with concerns about immigration enforcement and education.
“Every family deserves to live in this special city and that’s what I’m going to focus on,” Solomon said.
But McGreevey said in an October interview with The Associated Press before making the runoff that becoming mayor would be “a great closing act.”
“My opponents may care about what happened 20 years ago,” McGreevey told the AP. “The people of Jersey City are worried about their rent today, worried about their kids’ individualized education plans today. They’re worried about the fact that the street is dirty or there’s a sewer break on Montgomery (Street).”
Jersey City has had the same mayor, Steve Fulop, since 2013. Fulop declined to run for another term for governor in Jersey City, losing to now-elected Governor Mickey Sherrill in the Democratic primary.
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