O’Dea raises $200k in bid for Jersey City mayor in Q2; $800k COH, campaign says

Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), a declared candidate for Jersey City mayor next year, raised approximately $200,000 in the second quarter of this year, with about $800,000 cash on hand, his campaign told HCV.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“This kind of traction and momentum is exactly what we need and these numbers are in line with the immense outpouring of support we’re seeing from the community as we get closer to next year’s election for mayor,” O’Dea said in a statement.

“Jersey City needs a leader who will stand up to outside political forces instead of taking their orders. That’s never been what I’m all about, and I look forward to running a campaign that is powered by a grassroots movement by and for the people who want a better city for all of us.”

O’Dea revealed his first running mate last week, Kristen Zadroga-Hart, a lifetime educator and and ranking member of the Jersey City Education Association who was serving as the chair of his campaign, as HCV first reported.

The current field of mayoral candidates for the non-partisan November 4th, 2025 contest also includes former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Council President Joyce Watterman, and former Board of Education President Mussab Ali.

In the first quarter of 2024, McGreevey raised $523,493.92 and spent $291,859.17, good for $1,078,545.41 cash on hand, according to his April 17th report filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC).

At that time, O’Dea raised $229,171, spent $36,251.01, his April 17th ELEC report says, and including his commissioner account, has $665,063.48 cash on hand.

Furthermore, Watterman raised in the neighborhood of $100,000, while Ali announced in April she said he raised the same amount in his first 48 hours as a candidate.

Municipal candidates had their campaign finance reports due this week, covering the time period between April 1st and June 30th, and they are not yet available on NJ ELEC’s website.