As Josh Gottheimer, the congressman from New Jersey, vies for the governorship, a troubling picture emerges. He is not the candidate of the people, but rather a creature of the corporate elite—a neoliberal politician who has repeatedly sided with Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and the rising corporate aristocracy that is steadily eroding the fabric of America.
Endorsed by Maine Congressman Jared Golden—a Democrat known for breaking with his party on key issues—Gottheimer’s political loyalties should raise serious red flags.
Golden’s support is no coincidence; it signals Gottheimer’s deep alignment with a wing of the Democratic Party that is more comfortable cozying up to Republicans than fighting for the working class.
Let’s be clear: Gottheimer isn’t a moderate, nor is he a pragmatic problem-solver. He is a quasi-Republican whose policy preferences make him more aligned with the GOP’s corporate donors than with the values of everyday Americans.
Gottheimer and Golden were among the 22 House Democrats who voted with the vast majority of Republicans to support a resolution that censured Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian American in Congress, for her rhetoric on Israel.
His political record reflects a disturbing trend: siding with the wealthy and powerful at every turn while abandoning the needs of ordinary people.
Take a closer look at his voting history. Gottheimer has consistently supported policies that benefit billionaires, tech giants, and big business while ignoring the struggles of the average citizen.
He voted for the tax cuts that primarily benefited the richest 1% and corporations—policies that exploded the national debt and left everyday families in the dust.
His role in pushing for deregulation in the tech and finance industries is yet another sign of his true loyalties.
While ordinary people face skyrocketing healthcare costs, housing crises, and stagnant wages, Gottheimer has been busy supporting the very same companies that are consolidating power and wealth, all while shipping jobs overseas and exploiting workers.
Gottheimer’s allegiance to Silicon Valley and Wall Street isn’t just a series of votes. It’s his entire political identity.
His Jersey Values super PAC and campaign committee raised close to $40 million since his first election and he has about $21 million in cash on hand.
His financial ties to Silicon Valley and Wall Street are well-documented, and his actions speak louder than any campaign rhetoric. Gottheimer’s largest contributors work in private equity, investment banking, and corporate law.
Rather than stand up to the entrenched corporate oligarchy, he has repeatedly voted to protect it, ensuring that the wealthy elite continue to rake in profits while the working class falls further behind.
Golden’s endorsement of Gottheimer only deepens the concerns about his candidacy. It’s a glaring indication that Gottheimer is not running to serve the people of New Jersey, but rather to continue the neoliberal project that has gutted American industries, fostered inequality, and prioritized profits over people.
Golden, a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and the Problem Solvers Caucus, is himself known for his corporate-friendly policies, and his endorsement signals a dangerous direction for the future of New Jersey politics.
He was one of eight House Democrats who joined Gottheimer by defying Speaker Nancy Pelosi and holding the bipartisan package hostage with the goal to strip progressives of the leverage they have to enact a big reconciliation package, making it more vulnerable to being cut down to size or stopped entirely. Gottheimer worries the larger legislation will mean painful tax hikes on corporations and the wealthy — many of whom have supported his political ambitions.
Pelosi mocked Gottheimer’s effort as “amateur hour,” and she pushed ahead, successfully enacting both the bipartisan infrastructure plan and President Joe Biden’s broader social spending package.
At a time when the people of New Jersey—indeed, the entire nation—are fed up with a system that only works for the rich and powerful, Josh Gottheimer represents the very same failed politics that have brought us to this crisis.
He is a politician who would rather protect Silicon Valley billionaires and Wall Street interests than fight for affordable healthcare, workers’ rights, or a sustainable future.
The people of New Jersey deserve better. They deserve a governor who will stand up to the corporate elite, not one who is bought and paid for by them.
If you want more of the same corporate-backed politics, Gottheimer is your man.
If you want a government that works for the people—not the billionaires—then it’s time to reject the corporate-backed, neoliberal status quo and demand real change.
Josh Gottheimer isn’t a Democrat. He’s a corporate shill and that’s the last thing New Jersey—or America—needs.