Newark Mayor Drops Political Bombshell: ‘I Want To Be Governor’ Of NJ

NEWARK, NJ — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has taken a big leap towards a potential run for New Jersey governor.

Speculations that the mayor of the state’s largest city would launch a gubernatorial campaign to replace Phil Murphy in 2025 have been circulating for years among local politicos. And Baraka seemed to confirm the rumors during his appearance at a Black History Month event at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton on Monday.

Most of Baraka’s speech focused on the topic of the day: Black history in New Jersey and the current social justice challenges that remain. But at the end of the speech – while speaking about remaining hopeful about the future – the mayor dropped a 13-word bombshell.

“You too, can stand here and say: ‘I want to be the governor,’” he insisted, receiving a standing ovation from attendees.

Gubernatorial candidates who have officially thrown their hats into the ring include Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, who are running as Democrats, and Sen. Jon Bramnick, who is running as a Republican.

Current governor Phil Murphy was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. New Jersey governors can serve unlimited terms, but not more than two in a row.

If elected, Baraka would be the first Black governor in the state’s history. New Jersey – one of the most diverse states in the nation – has also had just a single female governor: Christine Todd Whitman.

During his tenure as Newark mayor, the former teacher has launched rolled out several efforts to tackle several hot-button issues in the city, such as a lack of housing, income inequality, education gaps and policing reform.

These same issues also exist on the state level, he pointed out at Monday’s event.

“We’ve come a long way since 1954 – but apparently not far enough,” Baraka said, referencing the landmark court case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.

“Today, New Jersey has the sixth-most segregated school district – more than half of Black and Brown students go to schools that are at least 90 percent Black or Brown,” he continued.

Meanwhile, a massive racial wealth gap continues to grow in the state, with the median household wealth of white families in New Jersey at $322,500, compared to just $17,700 for Black families and $26,100 for Latina/o families. Read More: Racial Gaps Still Plague NJ, Advocates Say

Other disparities mentioned in Baraka’s speech included:

• In New Jersey, Black and white children basically commit crimes at the same rates. But Black youth are 29 times more likely to be sent to prison. See Related: Teens Rally In Newark: 'Build Up Kids, Not Prisons'
• In New Jersey, African American women are seven times more likely to die while giving birth. See Related: Here's The Plan To Fix New Jersey's 'Racist' Infant Mortality Gap
• “Redlining” – when banks and lenders illegally avoid giving loans to people living in communities of color – continues in New Jersey. See Related: Bank 'Redlined' NJ Home Buyers In Newark Metro Area, Feds Allege

Baraka wouldn’t be the first mayor of Newark to use the job as a springboard for higher office.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was elected as mayor in 2006, ultimately leaving his mayoral post to run for Congress. Kenneth Gibson – Newark’s first Black mayor – ran for New Jersey governor in 1981 and 1985.

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