Jersey City Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh has formally announced his re-election bid, seeking a second full term in what is already a crowded field.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“As a proud loyal son of Jersey City, born and raised in the Heights to immigrant parents, serving Ward D has been an incredible honor, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together,” he said in a statement.
“When I stepped in during the pandemic to serve my community following the untimely and unfortunate passing of the late Councilman Michael Yun, we worked tirelessly on issues ranging from tenant rights to revitalizing our parks and streets. Together, we’ve made Ward D and Jersey City a better place to live, work, and raise a family. But the work isn’t finished—there’s still so much more we can do, and I look forward to continuing our progress as we move Ward D and Jersey City forward.”
He pointed to a number of initiatives that show he’s been getting the job done, such as ordinances to establish pay transparency and native plant protections, along with playing a pivotal role in renovating Reservoir 3, Riverview Park, and overhauling Central Avenue.
As of this writing, Saleh is running as an independent and the Heights already has three declared candidates for the non-partisan November 4th, 2025 contest.
Elvin Dominici is running on Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea’s (D-2) ticket, while Patrick Ambrossi, who Saleh defeated handily in the 2020 special election to fill Yun’s seat, and Democratic Socialists of America member Jake Ephros are running independently.
Furthermore, former Gov. Jim McGreevey is widely expected to run recently retired Police Lt. Dave Calton in Ward D, who already has a campaign website up despite not formally declaring yet.
Many politicos are anticipating that Saleh will ultimately run on Ward E Councilman James Solomon’s slate, given that they have worked well together on issues such as Right-to-Counsel and inclusionary zoning.
As of now, Solomon, who jumped into the mayoral race in September, has not announced any running mates. Coincidentally, he voted against Saleh’s appointment in April 2020 since he felt the process to fill Yun’s seat was rushed and not transparent enough.
The Heights councilman then ran with Mayor Steven Fulop’s support in 2020 and 2021.
“We’ve accomplished so much together, but there’s still much work to be done. I’m running for re-election to continue building a city that works for everyone—where our neighborhoods are safer, our economy is stronger, and everyone has a fair shot at success,” Saleh concluded.