As Gusciora is expected to seek third mayoral term, several Trentonians sign up to challenge him

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora is expected to seek a third term, but a stable of four candidates has emerged to challenge him: a councilwoman, a police detective, a retired police lieutenant, and the president of the local NAACP. 

Gusciora, a former assemblyman, easily won re-election in his 2022 bid; he secured more than 70% of the vote against a field that contained two city councilmembers. Now, in November’s nonpartisan municipal election, Gusciora, should he seek re-election, must defend his mayoralty against an even broader array of opponents after a term with a couple of bumps in the road.

Austin Edwards — an attorney, chairman of the Trenton Downtown Association, and president of the Trenton NAACP — will officially launch his mayoral campaign later this month.

“I believe safety grows when residents have jobs, clean blocks, functioning infrastructure, and a city that shows up consistently for every neighborhood,” Edwards said in his announcement.

The Trentonian reported that Corey McNair, a city detective within the Community Affairs Unit, launched his campaign last month.

And Jasi Edwards, a first-term city councilwoman and longtime city activist, launched her bid for mayor in December.

“I’m running because Trenton deserves more,” Edwards wrote in an announcement of her candidacy. “We deserve safer streets. We deserve clean water and neighborhoods. We deserve stable housing, strong schools, thriving businesses, and a government that actually works for its people.”

Another candidate has filed to run but has not officially announced their candidacy: former Trenton Police Lieutenant Rolando Ramos. Ramos, a columnist at The Trentonian, has criticized Gusciora in various articles. He said the mayor has overlooked issues regarding the city’s safety, water, housing costs, and basic functions.

“Election season is quickly upon us,” Ramos wrote. “Will the people of Trenton continue to vote against their own self-interest and elect someone who will provide these same outcomes? Will the people pick from the same tree of failure and empty promises? Or will they finally say enough??”

And Trenton Water Works, the city-operated water system that serves Trenton and a handful of neighboring municipalities, is under severe stress, according to state officials.