If Monday’s “conversation” with the Democratic gubernatorial candidates is any indication, the gloves have come off.
The hour-long conversation hosted by NJ PBS and WNYC Radio featured five candidates: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) and Mikie Sherrill (D-11th) and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The discussions was moderated by NJ Spotlight News anchor Briana Vannozzi and WNYC Morning Edition host Michael Hill.
As expected, Sherrill was the target most of the night, as she is seen by observers — and at least one public poll — to be the front runner. Fulop is seen as a close contender, and on Monday, he went on the offense against Sherrill several times.
Meanwhile, Baraka’s campaign has been suddenly supercharged after his arrest outside the Delaney Hall detention center, and he took his opportunity to draw his progressive stances as a contrast to Sherrill. At one point, he derided the congresswoman for her affordable housing plan for including one model that already exists.
“I’m going to make sure that we are providing tax abatements to repurpose underutilized commercial properties,” said Sherrill. “You see how that happened in Harrison, New Jersey at the soccer stadium.”
“That’s already happening,” Baraka said. “It’s called adaptive reuse. I don’t blame her; she just doesn’t know.”
