Two more mayors endorse Fulop for governor

Two Burlington County mayors have endorsed Steve Fulop for governor, giving him a foothold in his 10th county since entering the race to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy when Democrats pick their next candidate in 2025.

Support from Burlington City Mayor Barry Conaway and Mount Holly Mayor Chris Banks bring Fulop’s tally of statewide mayoral endorsements up to thirteen.  In South Jersey, Conaway and Banks join Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., the co-chairman of the Fulop campaign.

The endorsements also give Fulop two prominent Black mayors in a race where Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is unlikely to win organization lines and instead will depend on winning large pluralities from voters of color in a multi-candidate Democratic primary.  More than 40% of registered Democrats in New Jersey are non-white.

Burlington County has the eighth-largest number of Democrats in the state.  Last month, Burlington Democratic Chairman Joe Andl was unable to deliver the 8th district Democratic Senate nomination to his preferred candidate.

“The progress that Mayor Fulop has brought to Jersey City is a model for communities across New Jersey, and I’m so excited to join Steve’s campaign and work to elect him as our next Governor,” said Conaway, a two-term mayor and the cousin of a longtime Burlington assemblyman.  “I know that Steve Fulop is the right leader to continue moving our state forward and delivering the kind of leadership that our residents deserve.”

Banks that Fulop became a tremendous resource to him as a fellow mayor of a county seat municipality when he became mayor in January.

“I know that he will make an incredible Governor,” Banks stated.   “Mayors are on the front lines of the issues facing our residents every day, and I firmly believe that we need someone like Steve Fulop who understands those challenges working with us in Trenton to deliver for our residents.”

In addition to Small, Fulop has won endorsements from Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty.

He’s also picked up the backing of mayors in Chatham, Clinton, Garwood, High Bridge, Hillside, Lambertville, South Orange, Summit, and Westfield.

“Mayors like Barry Conaway, Chris Banks, and all of the local leaders who are supporting our campaign understand better than anyone what it takes to get things done for the people, and I’m thrilled to continue growing our campaign and announcing more support from throughout the state,” said Fulop. “It’s exciting to earn the endorsement of two dynamic mayors from Burlington County and our campaign is committed to building a statewide organization of support that will include all corners of New Jersey.”

Since entering the race in April, Fulop has already won the endorsements of Democratic county chairmen in Hudson and Warren and several labor unions.

Possible Democratic gubernatorial candidates include: Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mike Sherrill; Senate President Nicholas Scutari; Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin; Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, the president of the New Jersey Education Association; former Senate President Steve Sweeney; Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo; and former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Transportation Jim Johnson.

New Jersey’s newly-appointed lieutenant governor, Tahesha Way, is not expected to seek a full term in 2025 when Murphy is term-limited.