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The race for mayor of Jersey City is heading to a run-off election between Councilman James Solomon and former Governor Jim McGreevey. Both candidates finished within three points of each other in a crowded field, which included Hudson County Commissioner Bill O'Dea, former school board president Mussab Ali, city police officer Christina Freeman, musician Kalki Jayne-Rose, and city council president Joyce Watterman.
The winner of the December run-off will succeed Mayor Steve Fulop, who did not seek a fourth term after losing in the Democratic primary for governor. McGreevey, who resigned as New Jersey's governor in 2004 after announcing he was a gay American and had an affair, is attempting a political comeback in New Jersey's second-largest city.
The campaign has focused on affordability issues, with candidates addressing concerns about luxury housing developments pricing out longtime residents. Solomon has criticized the "luxury-only" model, promising to enforce rent control and cap rent increases. McGreevey has proposed a mix of affordable housing and workforce housing for middle-class communities.
According to WKYC, McGreevey leads in campaign donations with $4.7 million, while Solomon has raised $2.6 million. The election marks McGreevey's first run for office since his resignation. He has since focused on job-training programs for former inmates, aiming to run a competent and ethical administration if elected.
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