Jersey City Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop announced South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum as his lieutenant governor choice.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“Sheena Collum brings unmatched experience in local government as the longest serving woman mayor in Essex County, with a fearless record of progressive reform, and a commitment to service that reflects the values of this campaign,” Fulop explained.
He continued that she is a great complement to him, to which Collum agreed. She also said they are like minded on housing policy, calling back to when she helped rollout Fulop’s statewide affordable housing plan in October 2023.
“With 564 municipalities, 700 school districts, or 650 or so … we have to look at broad consolidations across the board. This redundancy is too much, it’s too much for taxpayers,” the South Orange mayor declared.
“I was one of the 1st mayors to say I want more housing than what’s obligated from me,” she added. “We wanted to develop as much affordable housing as possible. We see the value of including affordable housing.”
Collum noted there is a 200,000-housing unit deficient in New Jersey and a team with municipal experience is best suited to fix that.
“We are in a housing crisis and we need a governor and a lieutenant gov from a city side, small town, medium town, to be able to deliver on the housing promise,” she declared.
Collum noted transportation is a significant issue as well.
“Is that what New Jersey wants? Highways with 12, 14 lanes? Absolutely not,” she declared.
Collum commended Fulop for the alternative transportation options he has worked on like ferries and was critical of NJ Transit, exclaiming that “It’s just been hell for our commuters!”
She said she went to an NJ Transit meeting which began by discussing rebranded golf balls.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Collum exclaimed.
On the political spectrum, Collum asserted that she was never part of the political establishment despite being mayor via nonpartisan elections since 2015.
“I never had to kiss any rings, when I first became mayor, I was invited to a super-secret high-level important meeting with a super powerful politician. All the mayors were invited,” she explained.
“He told all the mayors he was gonna be running for re-election, and he expected everybody’s support. I was like, what’s your platform? It was a moment of silence. He was like more of the same … I have found the corruption tax that Steve talks about to be very real.”
She also pointed out that ever municipality has a Master Plan, while the state does not, and was critical of the President Donald Trump (R) administration as well for threatening Social Security and Medicare benefits.
“What level of despair people are experiencing,” Collum said about the federal government. “It does nothing but light a fire. I know Steve will be somebody who is very decisive: We need to build the biggest and best team to fighting the Trump Administration,” she stated.
During a question and answer session with the media, Collum said she supports U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) and Mikie Sherrill (D-11) as members of Congress, but they are more needed to fight back against Trump than they are as governor of New Jersey.
Furthermore, Fulop criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris for not being decisive on key issues, which is one of the reasons she lost the 2024 presidential election last year. In contrast, he argued he has taken many strong positions.
“The College Democrats endorsed me … They can understand what we’re driving about and how it will benefit them specifically,” he began.
“The Democratic establishment in New Jersey has no incentive to grow. They are comfortable where they have been for the last 20 years, and a lot of them have monetized the system.”
Fulop later acknowledged that some Democratic voters might be wary of Democrats after eight years of Gov. Phil Murphy (D) due to rising taxes and energy costs.
“That is going to be a hard thing to combat if you are built based on the entire Phil Murphy infrastructure, all the consultants, all the lobbyists, all the chair people,” he argued.
“ … Our lane is entirely different,” he added, indicating his game plan would not change if any other gubernatorial candidate suspended their campaign and endorsed someone else.
Collum noted the need to build a broader base more effectively to win elections.
“We have to be about the youth,” she said, suggesting being active on all social media platforms including TikTok.
Fulop is running against Gottheimer, Sherrill, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney in the June 10th primary.
