Five Democrats Debate Taxes, Transit, Energy in New Jersey Governor Race

With less than a month before New Jersey's Democratic primary for governor, five leading candidates—Ras Baraka, Steve Fulop, Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill, and Steve Sweeney—engaged in a spirited debate addressing critical state issues such as high property taxes, NJ Transit labor disputes, infrastructure challenges including Newark Liberty International Airport delays, and immigration policies. The candidates largely agreed that the governor should take an active role in NJ Transit negotiations and fair compensation for transit workers, with Fulop and Baraka opposing an $11 billion Turnpike widening project in favor of reallocating funds to transit issues. The debate revealed heightened tensions compared to a previous more amicable discussion, with Sherrill, considered a frontrunner, facing criticism particularly over her voting record related to border wall funding and her opposition to the Immigrant Trust Act, which Baraka and Fulop support. Immigration policy disagreements underscored broader debates about the balance between federal roles and state actions, with Sweeney emphasizing the federal government's responsibility. The debates are part of a series leading up to the primary on June 10, with the final Democratic and Republican debates scheduled later in May. Sean Spiller, another Democratic candidate, did not qualify for the debates due to fundraising thresholds.