Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller today announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey.
Spiller is the president of one of New Jersey’s most politically influential labor unions, the New Jersey Education Association.
“Today, I say to all of New Jersey, we can do better. This is our chance, for all of us,” Spiller said. “It’s not just millionaires and Wall Street that should have a voice. It’s the rest of us.”
A former college hockey player who became a high school science teacher, Spiller has been one of the state’s most powerful political insiders since becoming NJEA president in 2021. He’s been a rising star in state politics for more than a decade and was short-listed for lieutenant governor in 2013 by State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen), the Democratic nominee.
He was elected mayor in 2020, but did not seek re-election to a second term this year.
He’s touting his accomplishments in Montclair as a gubernatorial candidate.
“As mayor I passed rent control that helped hard-working families have a better quality of life. It’s why as governor I will guarantee those same hard-working families can afford to live and work in a New Jersey they love, “Spiller said. “By investing in public education, helping small businesses grow, and ensuring an economy works for regular people, we can create an environment that is not just economically successful, but one that makes life better for the people who make New Jersey work in the first place.”
Spiller becomes the fourth announced Democratic candidate in a field that includes Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) are also strongly considering runs for governor.
The NJEA has put over $2 million into a Spiller-friendly super PAC, Garden State Forward. A non-profit group led by Spiller, Protecting Our Democracy, has been airing ads featuring Spiller since 2022.
The union is set to interview candidates on Saturday.