an x icon - click to close the quick summary modal

quick summary

Josh Gottheimer

Josh Gottheimer is running for Governor as a fiscally focused, centrist Democrat with a heavy emphasis on cutting taxes, lowering costs, and modernizing government. A sitting Congressman and former White House staffer under Clinton and Obama, he blends establishment experience with a reform-driven platform centered on affordability, efficiency, and bipartisan problem-solving. Gottheimer promises a sweeping reboot of New Jersey’s tax system, government operations, and economic competitiveness, while also defending progressive values like reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and voting access. His approach is data-heavy and technocratic, aiming to reduce bureaucracy, claw back federal funds, and shift the state away from high-cost stagnation toward growth-oriented pragmatism.

Click the red x at the top of this box and then scroll down down for more in-depth information and sources.

Josh Gottheimer

Running for:
Governor
Incumbent
Challenger

Websites

This election is on June 10th, 2025

democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot

Agenda

  • Affordability & Taxes
    - Cut property taxes by nearly 15% for all homeowners
    - $500 annual rent rebate for renters
    - Create a “Family Tax Credit” for households with children or dependent seniors
    - $1,000 senior bonus for residents age 70+ who’ve lived in NJ for at least 10 years
    - Make NJ the first “property tax neutral” state for new residents (5-year phase-in)
    - Reduce income tax rates across brackets, particularly for middle-class families
    - Expand tax credits for childcare and eldercare

  • Economic Growth & Jobs
    - “Reboot Jersey” tax incentives for job creation and economic growth
    - $5,000 tax credit per new job created in NJ
    - Encourage relocation of businesses and families through targeted tax relief
    - Attract residents from NY and other states to reverse out-migration

  • Government Efficiency & Fiscal Responsibility
    - Balance state budget and close a $2 billion structural deficit
    - Implement a 5% efficiency review of all state operations (target: $2.9B in savings)
    - Modernize state employee healthcare and procurement systems
    - Require local governments to undergo similar efficiency audits
    - Claw back federal dollars to match other high-performing states
    - Crack down on tax cheats to recover lost revenue

  • Housing & Development
    - Build 200,000+ new housing units to address supply shortage
    - Expedite approvals via a “one-stop-shop” and shot clocks for reviews
    - Prioritize housing near transit and reuse abandoned office parks

  • Lowering Costs for Families
    - Double state Child Tax Credit to $1,000
    - Universal Pre-K and full-day kindergarten
    - Free school meals for all students
    - Lower utility bills through energy grid investment and supply diversification
    - Reduce healthcare and drug costs through transparency and purchasing reforms
    - Fight food price hikes by promoting local food production and breaking up monopolies

  • Protecting Jersey Values
    - Defend reproductive freedom and access to IVF
    - Protect LGBTQ+ rights and enforce hate crime laws
    - Fund security for places of worship and antisemitism prevention
    - Oppose censorship of books and uphold civil rights in schools

  • Climate & Environment
    - Remove lead pipes and forever chemicals from water supply
    - Upgrade stormwater systems to fight flooding
    - Oppose rollbacks of federal environmental protections

  • Democracy & Voting Rights
    - Same-day voter registration
    - Expand early voting, mail-in voting, and automatic registration
    - Implement mobile voting for military personnel overseas

  • Stopping Trump & Federal Overreach
    - Fight Trump tariffs and economic policies in court
    - Require “Trump Tariff” line-item on utility bills for transparency
    - Challenge New York’s taxation of NJ remote workers
    - Expand NJ’s legal infrastructure to counter federal rollbacks in education, healthcare, and environmental policy

Background and Experience

Josh Gottheimer is a longtime Democratic public servant and bipartisan dealmaker currently running for Governor of New Jersey. He served in the Clinton and Obama administrations, worked for major corporations like Microsoft and Ford, and currently represents North Jersey in Congress. A Bergen County resident and father of two, Gottheimer emphasizes his Jersey roots, problem-solving record, and focus on cutting costs for working families. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, he has championed centrist governance, helping pass infrastructure, healthcare, and veterans’ legislation with support from both parties.