JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY – James Solomon was elected mayor of Jersey City on Tuesday, defeating former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey and ending his attempt at a political comeback. Speaking to supporters gathered to watch the results, Solomon said, “Now, the mission is clear. The work begins tonight. And the work that we have to do is make Jersey City affordable.”
Solomon, 41, who has served on the City Council since 2017, won a runoff after neither he nor McGreevey secured more than 50% of the vote in last month’s general election, which featured seven candidates. McGreevey, conceding less than a mile from Solomon’s watch party, congratulated the mayor-elect, calling him “Councilman — now Mayor-elect — James Solomon.”
Solomon’s campaign focused on affordability and tackling rising costs driven by new development targeting wealthy New York City commuters. He pledged to challenge developers and special interests, invest in public safety, and collaborate with the independent school board to improve education. His record on the council includes legislation banning rent-hiking algorithms and guaranteeing tenants access to legal counsel.
The Jersey City race drew national attention due to McGreevey’s candidacy, marking his first run for office since resigning as governor in 2004 amid scandal. Solomon framed his victory as a choice for the future, describing McGreevey as “the politics of the past” and citing previous controversies as disqualifying.
Jersey City, with roughly 303,000 residents and a $700 million municipal budget, lies across the Hudson River from Manhattan and has a mix of high-rise developments and immigrant neighborhoods. Solomon, a Millburn native with a master’s from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, moved to the city in 2013. He is married with three daughters and is in full remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a personal challenge he said inspired him to pursue public service.
Solomon plans to hire 100 new police officers, establish a civilian complaint review board for the police, and appoint a deputy mayor for education to improve coordination with the independent school district. He received endorsements from three other candidates after the runoff and backing from U.S. Senator Andy Kim and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Even McGreevey acknowledged Solomon’s strengths during the campaign, saying he would make a “great mayor” in four years. Tuesday’s election signaled voter confidence that Solomon’s leadership has arrived.
