Gottheimer: The five-term Congressmember running for NJ governor

Josh Gottheimer: Meet the candidates for NJ governor

New Jersey Now sits down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate and NJ-5 congressional representative Josh Gottheimer, who explains his opposition to New York’s congestion pricing plan. Plus, Gottheimer shares his views on tariffs, plans to cut property taxes and position on immigration.

NEW JERSEY - Representative Josh Gottheimer represents New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, but he's currently eyeing a larger constituency: the entire state.

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The backstory:

Gottheimer was raised in North Caldwell, New Jersey, and attended West Essex High School. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, with a degree in political science, the University of Oxford in 1999 and Harvard Law School in 2004.

Before pursuing law, Gottheimer went on to become a presidential speechwriter for former U.S. President Bill Clinton, serving from 1998 to 2001. He also served as Senior Advisor to the Chairwoman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights for about a year, in 2001.

Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, arrives to a House Financial Services Committee hearing investigating the collapse of FTX in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. House lawmakers were supposed to get their chance

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He then pivoted to the private sector, serving as Ford's Director of Strategic Communications for about a year, then the Executive Vice President, Worldwide of Burson-Marsteller for four.

In 2010, Gottheimer was appointed as the Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where he stayed for two years.

Five-time representative, first-time gubernatorial candidate

The backstory:

Gottheimer won the seat of Representative of New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District in 2016, and is currently serving his fifth term in office. He is also Vice Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group created with the goal of encouraging bipartisan cooperation among members of Congress.

He launched his gubernatorial campaign on November 15, 2024.

You can find an entire list of New Jersey gubernatorial candidates here.

Current platform

What we know:

Gottheimer's campaign is focused on lowering taxes for New Jersey residents, citing the affordability issue many residents are facing.

This plan includes a nearly 15 percent cut to New Jersey property taxes, a "renter rebate" of $500 per year and an annual $1,000 credit on the state income tax returns of residents over the age of 70 who have lived in the state for at least 10 years.

This plan can be read in its entirety below:

Gottheimer is also against New York's congestion pricing program – "Nine dollars a day is a huge hit for that nurse, cop, firefighter or teacher who's really struggling," he told New Jersey Now.

Where he stands in the polls

By the numbers:

A survey conducted by Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill revealed that 11 percent of registered New Jersey Democratic Primary voters plan to support Gottheimer, leaving him tied for second place with Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.