Fulop launches first two ads of ’25 governor’s race

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has begun airing his first two ads as part of a seven-figure advertising buy to boost his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey.

The buy will span all television and digital mediums and makes Fulop, the first candidate to enter the race, become the first of the six Democratic aspirants to go up on the air in search of votes.

In “Who Does That?” the ad spotlights his roots as the son of a Newark deli owner who went to Wall Street, only to walk away and enlist in the U.S. Marines after 9/11.  The ad references fights with developers, his 2004 challenge to then-Rep. Bob Menendez in the Democratic primary, and his

Script: “Who goes from their parent’s deli in Newark to Wall Street, then gives it all up to volunteer for the Marines after 9/11.  Who does that? One of the youngest and most progressive mayors in the country. Steve Fulop, took on developers, Bob Menendez and the political machine. Reforms that made Jersey city a national leader on affordable housing, job creation, policing, and health care. Steve Fulop for governor: on nobody’s side but ours.”

In “Family Dinner,” Fulop narrates his own ad, that shows his young family at dinner time and addresses his reasons for wanting to be governor.

Script: “I love this time of day.  With my job as mayor and Jaclyn running her own business here in Jersey City, having dinner together as a family is really important to both of us — and you never know what will happen.  I’m Steve Fulop, and when people ask why I’m running for governor, I tell them the answer is around this table: better education, and when they’re older, more after school programs to help keep kids out of trouble.  It’s very real to me.  As governor, I’ll have a stake in this, too.”

Fulop is qualified for the full match, which will give him $8.7 million to spend on the primary – not including super PACs and independent expenditures.

“New Jersey isn’t just where I’m from — it’s the place that shaped who I am,” Fulop stated. “Our state deserves a leader who truly understands the struggles and aspirations of its families, and I’m ready to fight every day to deliver the future they deserve.”