Casting himself as a fighter for vulnerable New Jerseyans and to make the state more affordable, former Senate President Steve Sweeney launched his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025 this morning.
“I’ll always put New Jersey’s kids, working families, and seniors first,” Sweeney said. “You know that’s who I’ll fight for because it’s who I’ve always fought for. It’s who I am. A fighter for people who can’t fight for themselves. I’m running for Governor because New Jersey is worth fighting for.”
He becomes the second announced Democratic candidate, joining Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who entered the gubernatorial race in April.
In an announcement video, Sweeney talks about his background as an ironworker whose life changed when his daughter, Lauren, was born with Down syndrome.
“Lauren was the spark,” he said. “She brought out the very best of me.”
He talked about his accomplishments during his twelve years as Senate President — the longest stint in state history – especially on behalf of people with disabilities.
“I’ve gotten a lot done for working people in New Jersey,” he said. “Fair minimum wage that’s indexed, so when costs go up, pay goes up. Family leave, so parents can be there for their kids when it’s most important, and sons and daughters can care for their elderly parents. We made marriage equality the law because love is love.”
He also appears to acknowledge the unexpected loss of his State Senate seat in 2021 to Republican Ed Durr, a truck driver who barely spent any money to defeat arguably the most potent legislative leader in the nation.
“Sometimes in life, we face setbacks, but New Jerseyans get up, we dust ourselves off, we get back to work, because that’s who we are,” said Sweeney.
As governor, Sweeney says his campaign for governor will focus on a tax system that benefits New Jersey families, better public schools, increased funding for local police, and a constitutional amendment to protect legal abortion in the state.
“If you want to, you should be able to work with dignity, buy a home, raise a family, and retire — all in New Jersey,” stated Sweeney.
Sweeney begins his gubernatorial bid with a potentially strong political base in South Jersey. The eight South Jersey counties make up 25.5% of the registered Democrats in the state, but about 31% in the last two primary elections because an investment in vote-by-mail allows Camden County Democrats to punch above their weight.
His political base also includes building trades unions across the state; except for Operating Engineers Local 825, the state’s trade unions are widely expected to side with Sweeney.
In September 2022, The New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council passed a resolution urging former Sweeney to continue his career in public service, “most preferably as a candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 2025,” and promised to use the “full forces of our financial, promotional and manpower resources.”
Those unions could help Sweeney field organization lines in counties that endorse someone else.
Still, Sweeney’s chances to win the nomination rely heavily on an expanded field of candidates where South Jersey’s footprint is amplified.
There have been some defections already. Fulop has picked up endorsements from some Teamsters union locals and Atlantic City Mayor Martin Small, Sr.
Fulop’s head start allowed him to raise more than $3 million, enough to qualify for a full match under New Jersey’s public financing law. While Sweeney can begin raising money now, like Fulop, he’ll need to watch his spending; anything he spends now will count against a spending cap for the 2025 primary that remains undetermined.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) are moving towards gubernatorial runs, but each must seek re-election to Congress in 2024 before launching their 2025 campaigns.
The potentially crowded 2025 field includes Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, and former Deputy U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jim Johnson.
Sweeney, 64, is a member of Ironworkers Local 399 and an influential labor leader. He is the general vice president of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Ironworkers, the number four person in the union nationally.
He began his political career in 1996 when he was elected to the Gloucester County Board of Freeholders and served for thirteen years. He won a State Senate seat in 2001, ousting 28-year incumbent Raymond Zane, who had switched parties to avoid facing Sweeney in the Democratic primary.
In 2008, he became the Senate Majority Leader, and two years later outmaneuvered Richard Codey to become the Senate President. His first eight years as the second most powerful person in state government coincided with Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s two terms in office.
Once described as New Jersey’s odd couple, Sweeney and Christie worked together to broker
budget deals and raise pension and healthcare costs for public employees. But the two frequently sparred publicly, leading one reporter to suggest that their fighting benefited each of them.
Sweeney explored running against Christie in 2013, but opted out of the race early in the year. Instead, he considered challenging 89-year-old incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the 2014 Democratic primary; after Lautenberg died in 2013, Sweeney declined to run in a special election.
This will be Sweeney’s second attempt to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He was considered a major contender in 2017 but dropped out of the race eight months before the primary; Fulop’s exit from the race two weeks earlier had made Sweeney the underdog in a two-way first-tier contest with Phil Murphy, the former U.S. Ambassador to Germany.
Sweeney spent his last four years as Senate President as a frequent thorn in Murphy’s side, but ultimately supported most of the governor’s initiatives.
If he wins, Sweeney will follow the model of Democrat Robert B. Meyner, who lost re-election to his Warren County State Senate seat in 1951 and was elected governor in 1953. He would be the first South Jerseyan to win a statewide primary since Jim Florio became governor in 1989 and the first labor leader to win a gubernatorial primary since Vincent J. Murphy, a former mayor of Newark and the New Jersey AFL-CIO president, won in 1943.
Announcement video Script: “I was a union ironworker for years, up on the steel, constructing buildings around New Jersey. If you knew me, you might have thought of me as a tough guy. But when our baby, Lauren, was born prematurely with Down syndrome, it turned my world upside down. Then I learned how hard it can be to get services for people with special needs. That’s what turned me into a public servant. Lauren was the spark. She brought out the very best of me. That’s why I ran for public office, eventually becoming Senate President, serving everyone in New Jersey. I’m so proud of what New Jersey has accomplished for people with disabilities — in education, in jobs, and in training in health care. But much more needs to be done. Everyone deserves a shot at dignity, respect, the job. Everyone. I’ve gotten a lot done for working people in New Jersey. Fair minimum wage that’s indexed, so when costs go up, pay goes up. Family leave, so parents can be there for their kids when it’s most important, and sons and daughters can care for their elderly parents. We made marriage equality the law because love is love. But there’s much more to do. If you want to, you should be able to work with dignity, buy a home, raise a family, and retire — all in New Jersey. We need a tax system that works for New Jersey families and retirees, not big corporations. A first-class education system from pre-K to 12, and a constitutional amendment to protect a woman’s reproductive freedom. Sometimes in life, we face setbacks, but New Jerseyans get up, we dust ourselves off, we get back to work, because that’s who we are. I will always put New Jersey’s kids, working families, and seniors first. You know, that’s what I’ll fight for because that’s who I’ve always fought for. It’s who I am, a fighter for those who can’t fight for themselves. I’m running for governor because New Jersey’s worth fighting for.”