In a move that signals a political upheaval in New Jersey’s second-largest city, the national advocacy group Food & Water Action has thrown its considerable weight behind City Councilman James Solomon for mayor, endorsing a full slate of progressive candidates in a contest that could redefine the state’s climate and political landscape.
The organization, known for its hard-nosed campaigns against corporate power and fossil fuels, has drawn a stark line in the sand, framing the upcoming election as a battle between community-led progress and the old guard of machine politics.
The group’s endorsement explicitly targets the candidacy of disgraced former Gov. Jim McGreevey, citing his “cozy relationships with billionaire real estate moguls” as a disqualifier for tackling the city’s affordability and climate crises.
At the heart of the endorsed slate’s platform is a bold environmental agenda that aims to make Jersey City a national leader.
Food & Water Action also endorsed council candidates Denise Ridley for Ward A, Joel Brooks for Ward B, Dawn Giambalvo for Ward C, Jake Ephros for Ward D, Eleana Little for Ward E, Frank Gilmore for Ward F, and Michael Griffin, Mamta Singh, and Rolando Lavarro for Council At Large.
These candidates are dedicated to tackling climate change and environmental injustice through ambitious investments in clean energy, public transit, healthy schools, and sustainable, affordable housing.
They have pledged to fight the proposed $11 billion New Jersey Turnpike expansion, a project they argue would worsen air quality and traffic through the heart of the city.
They are also committed to implementing nation-leading standards to cut fossil fuel pollution from buildings, the source of nearly 70 percent of the city’s emissions, and to protect Liberty State Park from commercial development.
This electoral push builds upon a recent and surprising victory for the organization’s political arm.
In the June primary, Food & Water Action’s endorsed candidates, Katie Brennan and Ravi Bhalla, toppled Hudson County Democratic machine opponents despite being outspent by more than $1 million.
That win, coupled with the recent collapse of New Jersey’s powerful “county line” ballot system, has created a historic opening for independent progressive candidates long locked out of the state’s political machinery.
Solomon, who has built a reputation on fighting corruption and opposing tax breaks for luxury developers, now finds himself at the head of a coalition aiming to prove that a politics centered on climate action and community needs can triumph over entrenched special interests.
The outcome in Jersey City will not only determine the quality of air and water for its 292,000 residents but will also serve as a potent test of whether a new, greener model of urban governance can take root in New Jersey.