Hudson County has long been the epicenter of New Jersey’s political machine, a place where legendary bosses, courthouse organizations, and disciplined Democratic operations built one of the most formidable county organizations in American politics. For generations, winning the Democratic primary here has often mattered more than the general election, and Republican victories have become almost unimaginable. The county was one of only two in New Jersey that refused to back Gov. Chris Christie in his 2013 landslide re-election and one of only three to support Michael Dukakis in 1988.
Yet even Hudson’s seemingly unshakable Democratic foundation showed unexpected cracks in 2024, when it recorded the largest swing toward Donald Trump of any county in New Jersey. The county went from supporting Joe Biden by 46 points in 2020 to backing Kamala Harris by just 27 points four years later. While Hudson remained safely Democratic, the magnitude of the shift rattled party leaders who had long viewed the county as one of their most reliable strongholds.
There have been some exceptions, but only when Democrats allow it: Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, Ronald Reagan in 1984, and Tom Kean in 1985. There have also been some unintended consequences from coattails, like a Republican congressman from West New York in 1957, two Republican district freeholders elected in the Reagan ’84 year, and four GOP assemblymen who rode Kean’s re-election landslide.
That aura of Democratic invincibility took a hit in 2024, when Hudson County recorded the largest swing toward Donald Trump of any county in New Jersey. Although Kamala Harris still carried the county by 27 percentage points, that was a sharp drop from Joe Biden’s 46-point margin just four years earlier. Hudson remained safely Democratic, but the size of the shift alarmed party leaders.
Those concerns proved short-lived. Gov. Mikie Sherrill carried Hudson County by 50 points in 2025, restoring Democrats’ confidence in one of their strongest bastions. Republicans have not won a countywide election in Hudson since 1956, the longest such streak for either party in any New Jersey county.
That dominance is reflected on this year’s ballot. Republicans failed to field candidates for all but two county offices, and one of their congressional nominees did not submit enough valid petition signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Bayonne, Union City, and Weehawken held municipal elections in May. Hoboken, Jersey City, North Bergen, and West New York do not have municipal elections this year.
Democrats are unopposed in East Newark and Guttenberg, as well as in Kearny’s 1st, 2nd, and 4th wards. They also appear to be uncontested in Harrison. Secaucus has an uncontested nonpartisan election.
At the county level, Democrats are unopposed in eight of the nine commissioner districts.
U.S. Senate
Two-term incumbent Sen. Cory Booker is heavily favored to carry Hudson County for a fourth consecutive time.
Booker won the county by nearly 35,000 votes over former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan in the 2013 special election, by more than 51,000 votes against Jeff Bell in 2014, and by an overwhelming 120,000 votes over pharmaceutical executive Rik Mehta in 2020.
This year, Booker faces former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Justin Murphy.
The last Republican Senate nominee, fellow South Jersey native Curtis Bashaw, lost Hudson County to now-Sen. Andy Kim by a 65%-35% margin in 2024.
8th Congressional District
Two-term Rep. Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) is seeking a third term.
Menendez has no Republican opponent, marking the first time since 2008 that a major party failed to nominate a candidate for a New Jersey congressional seat. That year, Rep. Donald Payne Sr. (D-Newark) faced only a Socialist Workers Party candidate.
Instead, local Republican leaders are backing Aristotle Eliopoulos, a teachers’ union official and registered Republican who qualified for the ballot as an independent after the GOP nominee failed to submit enough valid petition signatures.
No Republican has won a Jersey City-based congressional district since 1956.
9th Congressional District
First-term Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) is seeking a second term representing the Paterson-based 9th District that includes Secacaucus and part of Kearny.
Long considered a Democratic stronghold, the district narrowly voted for Donald Trump by one point in 2024. It returned to form in 2025, backing Gov. Mikie Sherrill by 20 points.
Pou faces Clifton Councilwoman Rosie Pino in November.
10th Congressional District
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark) is seeking another term representing the Newark-based 10th District.
McIver again faces Republican Carmen Bucco, who challenged her in both the 2024 special election and the general election.
Republicans have not won a Newark-based congressional district since 1946.
County Register of Deeds and Mortgages
Democratic Register Jeffrey Dublin is seeking re-election to another five-year term.
His Republican opponent is Qamar Raza, a professor at Hudson County Community College.
Dublin served on the Hudson County Board of Freeholders from 2004 until 2014, when he was dropped from the Democratic ticket after backing Jersey City Mayor Jeremiah Healy’s unsuccessful re-election bid the previous year. He was elected county register in 2021.
Hudson and Essex are the only two New Jersey counties that still elect county registers, an office that has been abolished or merged into the county clerk’s office almost everywhere else.
9th Commissioner District
Democratic nonprofit executive Alex Valdez is running for the open 9th District seat on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.
His opponent is Republican social media influencer Anmol Pollack.
The 9th District includes East Newark, Harrison, Kearny, Secaucus, and portions of Jersey City.
Valdez emerged as the Democratic nominee as part of the unity slate negotiated earlier this year between organization and progressive leaders.
Harrison
Mayor James Fife and First Ward Councilman Jesus Huaranga, both Democrats, appear headed for unopposed re-election after a Superior Court judge rejected an attempt by independent candidates Dominick Ritorto and Michael Verile to gain access to the November ballot.
Hudson County Assignment Judge David Katz ruled that Ritorto and Verile failed to collect enough valid signatures and missed the statutory deadline to challenge the Hudson County Clerk’s decision. Katz also rejected their argument that they relied on incorrect information about the signature requirements.
Their attorney, Michael Collins, said the candidates are considering an appeal.
Councilmembers Joe Diaco, James Wood, and James Doran are unopposed regardless of the outcome of any appeal.
Harrison leans Democratic. Kamala Harris carried the town, 59%-39%, in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by a commanding 74%-24% margin in 2025.
Kearny 3rd Ward
Democratic healthcare professional Sarah Bonilla is running for the open 3rd Ward council seat.
Bonilla was part of the “Team Kearny” slate and defeated Edmund Shea, 430-369, a 61-vote margin, in the Democratic primary. Shea ran on the ticket backed by Mayor Carol Jean Doyle and the Hudson County Democratic Organization.
Republicans nominated local scoutmaster Dariusz Bystrowski.
Kearny remains a Democratic-leaning community. Gov. Mikie Sherrill carried the town by 25 points in 2025, although Donald Trump narrowly won it by just under two points in the 2024 presidential election.