SOMA Voters Send Deluge of Fulop Support in Statements

Six candidates are running for the Democratic nomination for New Jersey Governor in the June primary election: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, and former NJ State Senator Steve Sweeney. Follow Village Green election coverage here.

South Orange and Maplewood voters — at least those who responded to Village Green’s call for statements of support — are going for Fulop big time, despite the fact that Sherrill received approximately 90% of the SOMA vote when she was re-elected to Congress last November.

Village Green has received 11 endorsements for Fulop from local current and past elected official, an endorsement by SOMA Action, and 21 statements of support for Fulop; 1 endorsement from a former elected official and 1 statement from a resident for Josh Gottheimer; 4 endorsements by Maplewood Township Committee members (including Mayor Nancy Adams) and 0 statements from non-elected residents for Sherrill; and 0 statements/endorsements for Spiller, Sweeney and Baraka — despite a plethora of Baraka lawn signs spotted throughout the towns. No endorsements or statements were sent supporting any candidate in the Republican primary.

RELATED: Statements Show Strong SOMA Support for Assemblywoman Garnet Hall’s Reelection

The 21 statements for Fulop broke down as 12 from South Orange, 8 from Maplewood, and 1 from Matawan.

Scroll down to read the full statements.

Many of the statements cited Fulop’s experience as a mayor, bringing a boom of commercial investment and residential construction to Jersey City — highlighting his policy positions on education, taxes, LGBTQ+ rights and more — and noted parallels with his chosen running mate, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum.

“Mayor Fulop has led one of the most ambitious and effective housing production efforts in the state, bringing thousands of affordable, workforce, and market-rate units online. And Mayor Collum has transformed a small suburban community into a leading example of walkable, equitable, and economically vibrant redevelopment,” wrote Trenesa Danuser, a former Maplewood Planning Board member.

Others said they saw Fulop and Collum as anti-political machine candidates who would breathe much needed life into the Democratic party.

“Fulop and Collum have clearly shown that they are the candidates for change in New Jersey, not just against the tragic shift of our federal government and those in NJ who support it, but also they seek to change the established business-as-usual democratic machine politics by running a truly independent campaign with new ideas and direction,” wrote Richard Stephen Bell of South Orange.

And still others stressed their trust in Collum, and credited Fulop with recognizing her value.

“I’ve been friends with Sheena Collum for nearly two decades and she is quite literally one of the smartest and most talented people I have ever met. New Jersey would be lucky to have her as our next lieutenant governor,” wrote Ben Salmon of Maplewood. Salmon was the original owner of Kitchen a la Mode in South Orange and is a former board member of South Orange Downtown.

“With picking both [NJ Attorney General Matt] Platkin and Collum, Fulop has shown the kind of people he will populate his administration with – people who are super competent, not friends, family or people being rewarded for political favors, wrote Sarah McNamara of Maplewood.

Village Green also received an email from former Maplewood resident and current Jersey City resident Barbara Goldberg, who said that Fulop is “despised” in Jersey City and has not been an ally to residents of Portside Towers who have been waging a three-year battle with their landlord over rent control. Village Green contacted Kevin Weller, a co-president of the Portside Tenants Association, who provided this link regarding the conflict: https://jerseydigs.com/portside-towers-jersey-city-rent-control-case/. Village Green also spoke to Fulop about the Portside situation and he said that he was sympathetic and had been advising the tenants to “follow the process.” Fulop said that the city had “started to correct the rent levels,” but due to a current stay in federal court, said there is “nothing we can do” until the case is adjudicated.

Critiques were offered of other candidates as well.

Lloyd Alterman of South Orange lauded Fulop while enumerating what why he was not supporting others. “I am supporting Steven Fulop,” wrote Alterman. “His candidacy is policy driven, and he has years of executive experience as mayor of Jersey City. There are other great candidates. I feel Mikie Sherrill should remain in Congress – we need her there. Same for Gottheimer. I like Baraka, but [am] concerned about his electability in a state-wide election. Sean Spiller does not have the experience needed to be Governor.”

Finally, in her email supporting Gottheimer, Jennifer Crohn of South Orange wrote, “I think the person best equipped to fight for New Jersey’s interests is neither my hometown Essex County rep (Sherrill) nor the technocratic wonk I would otherwise gravitate toward (Fulop, who among other things was smart enough to bring Sheena Collum onto his ticket). Instead, the guy I think we need right now is Josh Gottheimer. Not only does Gottheimer represent critical liberal interests, he understands the financial pressures middle-class people in our state are struggling under, has the political chops to go nine rounds with MAGA extremists, and is pragmatic enough to unify people across the rational center of the political spectrum.”

STATEMENTS FOR STEVEN FULOP:

With years of experience in housing and economic development—and as a former appointee to the Maplewood Planning Board—I understand just how complex and urgent New Jersey’s housing challenges have become. Solving them requires more than good intentions. It takes real expertise, political will, and a deep understanding of how local and regional development actually works.

That’s why I’m endorsing Steven Fulop for Governor, with our own Sheena Collum as his running mate. These two have not only talked about solutions—they’ve delivered them.

Mayor Fulop has led one of the most ambitious and effective housing production efforts in the state, bringing thousands of affordable, workforce, and market-rate units online. And Mayor Collum has transformed a small suburban community into a leading example of walkable, equitable, and economically vibrant redevelopment.

This ticket brings rare and tested executive experience—along with the land use and planning insight needed to meaningfully address housing supply, affordability, and livability across New Jersey.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting Steven Fulop for Governor—and in lifting up Mayor Sheena Collum as his partner in this work. Visit StevenFulop.com to learn more and get involved.

Trenesa Danuser, Maplewood

Maplewood resident and former planning board member

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Fulop and Collum have clearly shown that they are the candidates for change in New Jersey, not just against the tragic shift of our federal government and those in NJ who support it, but also they seek to change the established business-as-usual democratic machine politics by running a truly independent campaign with new ideas and direction. I fully support them!

Richard Stephen Bell, South Orange

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As a father of two young children, I’m supporting Steven Fulop for Governor because he’s committed to strengthening our public schools and ensuring every child has access to quality education. His plan includes updating the school funding formula for greater equity, expanding early childhood education, and addressing school segregation to create more diverse learning environments.  I would also love to see our South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum become the next Lieutenant Governor! What a win for SOMA to have one of our own at one of the highest levels of state government.

Josh Mandell, South Orange

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Both Steve Fulop and Sheena Collum have shown their leadership capabilities by very diligently working to support and promote a diverse community in Jersey City and South Orange respectively. They are people-oriented, and try to understand and address the issues. I trust them to make the right decisions for all NJ residents, irrespective of their race, color of skin, religion, ethnicity, etc.

Veda Gundanna, South Orange/Matawan

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What does it mean to be a Democrat? It means standing up for the marginalized. It means proposing real plans to use government to improve people’s lives. Steve Fulop does those things, and that’s why I’m supporting him for Governor.

Paul Stephan, Maplewood

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Steven Fulop has the executive experience of running a major city in NJ, something that is critical to being successful as Governor.

He has very detailed and specific policy statements explaining exactly what he will do and how he will fight as Governor for all New Jerseyans (i.e. not just platitudes).

He is the only candidate who has committed to keeping NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin on the job, fighting the current federal administration’s trampling of the constitution and we need him to continue his momentum, and he has been transparent about his pick for Lieutenant Governor – Sheena Collum – a person and politician I hugely respect.

With picking both Platkin and Collum, Fulop has shown the kind of people he will populate his administration with – people who are super competent, not friends, family or people being rewarded for political favors.

Sarah McNamara, Maplewood

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Experience and transparency, a clear path, that they know they can execute, stated in plain English, without a sales pitch or identity politics obscuring the PLAN. Questions are ANSWERED, thought processes are explained. Consistent, Vetted and Clear. FULOP ALL THE WAY.

Jennifer Bacon, South Orange

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I’m supporting Steve Fulop for governor because he believes New Jersey deserves a world-class public transit system. In the most densely populated state in the country, we can’t afford to keep expanding highways while our trains and buses fall behind. As mayor of Jersey City, Fulop proved he can deliver real change—and he knows a better future starts with better transit, not one more lane on the Turnpike Extension.

Martin Ceperley, Maplewood

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I’m supporting Stephen Fulop for Governor of New Jersey because his economic plan offers real, structural changes that directly address New Jersey’s long-standing affordability crisis, rather than relying on incremental or traditional fixes.

His proposal to cap property taxes at 4% of income and introduce a point-of-sale valuation system protects homeowners from sudden tax hikes; and his proposal to reform and streamline tax credit programs and government incentives to prioritize working families and small businesses, rather than large corporations or the already wealthy.

Fulop’s record as Jersey City mayor demonstrates his commitment to bold, practical solutions—such as streamlining local government and investing in public transit to save money and prioritizing efficient public services shows he is prepared to tackle New Jersey’s toughest economic challenges with substance and accountability.

Jeff Damens, South Orange

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My time being an up-close witness to Steve Fulop‘s campaign has restored my faith that politics can be compassionate, hopeful, and detail-oriented. Steve cares about answering every single person’s question at every meet & greet, has a fantastic record as Mayor of Jersey City, and after 9/11, left behind a Goldman Sachs career in order to serve as a U.S. Marine. After decades of machine-controlled politics in New Jersey, people all over the state are realizing that they have a vital choice in this primary election, which makes me believe that Steve Fulop‘s campaign is going to be one of the biggest political upsets in living history.

Scott Barton, Maplewood

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I support Steven Fulop because of his support for the LGBTQIA+ community, his clear policies, and the fact that I think he is the only candidate who can beat Ciattarelli in November.

Zoe Berkovic, South Orange, NJ

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I am voting for Steve Fulop. He is running a very well organized campaign. He had the good sense to choose Sheena Collum as his running mate.  He has done an excellent job in Jersey City. I think he has the best chances of winning in the general election.

Margie Freeman, South Orange

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As a nearly decade long South Orange resident who has collaborated with Sheena Collum on multiple community initiatives, I’ve seen her exceptional leadership up close and time and again. She shows up for our community with thoughtfulness, tenacity, and a clear vision for what effective government can be. Her decision to run on a ticket with Steve Fulop is a natural extension of that leadership. Steve has a proven track record of revitalizing Jersey City and advancing smart, people-centered policies that strengthen communities across the state. Together, they represent the kind of bold, experienced, and deeply committed leadership New Jersey needs. I’m proud to support Sheena and Steve in the upcoming primaries and hope voters across South Orange and Maplewood will join me.

Hannah Zollman, South Orange 

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I support Fulop because he has numerous specific policies for the state, like on NJ Transit and building more housing. His support for ranked choice voting (RCV) is also crucial at a time when democracy is under attack by extremists who wouldn’t survive a RCV primary. Finally, the success of Jersey City under his tenure – close to eclipsing Newark as the biggest city in the state – bodes well for a Fulop governorship.

Tim Dingman, South Orange