Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey’s long-shot political revival fizzled out on Tuesday night as Jersey City Councilman James Solomon clinched the mayor’s race.
The Associated Press called the runoff shortly after polls closed, handing the win to Solomon, who will take over for outgoing Mayor Steven Fulop after the Democrat’s failed run for governor. Though both contenders are Democrats, party labels don’t appear on the ballot in Jersey City’s municipal contests.
Solomon celebrated with supporters at Mana Contemporary, where he walked into a wall of applause. McGreevey, meanwhile, held court at the Ringside Lounge — a fitting backdrop considering its most famous patron is Mike Tyson. It was a far cry from the ex-governor’s Election Night gala last month at a waterfront ballroom overlooking Manhattan.
Onstage for his concession speech, McGreevey offered a gracious nod to the victor. “I want to say, from my heart, I congratulate Councilman, now Mayor-elect, James Solomon. Can we give him a round of applause?” he asked supporters.
Solomon, speaking to his crowd, vowed to deliver for residents. “Each and every day I’m going to work to put the residents of this city first,” he said. He framed the win as a grassroots uprising against old-school Jersey politics. “You don’t beat a machine by yourself you beat a machine with a movement and that’s what we did today.”
Both men cast their ballots early Tuesday, with Solomon voting before 8 a.m. at a public school on Merseles Street and McGreevey arriving roughly two hours later at a fire station on Sip Avenue.
Solomon entered the runoff with the wind at his back. He led the Nov. 4 general election with 29 percent in a crowded seven-way field, while McGreevey pulled in 25 percent. Because no candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold, the top two advanced to Tuesday’s showdown.
The councilman quickly consolidated support, locking down endorsements from U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and three former rivals whose combined totals made up 41 percent of the vote. Sen. Elizabeth Warren added her stamp of approval on Monday.
Both campaigns leaned heavily on affordability plans, a hot-button issue after New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory last month. Solomon pledged in their final debate to push for more housing units priced at $1,000 a month or less, well below Jersey City’s sky-high market rates. McGreevey dismissed the proposal as unrealistic.
