U.S. Senate showdown

Good morning!

It’s hard to believe that we have a U.S. Senate race that’s largely flying under the radar, but sure enough.

Sen. Cory Booker (D) is seeking a third full term next month, but a combination of Booker’s fundraising prowess, a massive war chest advantage over GOP opponent Justin Murphy, and the state’s 54-year streak of electing Democrats to the Senate means the top race on our ballot this year is largely a ho-hum affair.

Booker and Murphy met up Thursday night for a debate at Rider University, where things were cordial even as the two diverged on the Iran war, the economy, and immigration enforcement. Unlike our state’s last Republican Senate candidate, Murphy is not moderating his stances to win over Dem and unaffiliated voters.

On the Iran war, Murphy said Trump should put his “cowboy hat on and get out there and kick some ass and get this done.” Booker, meanwhile, called Trump’s decision to attack Iran “the kind of yahoo cowboy foreign policy that has mired us in Middle Eastern war after Middle Eastern war.”

Read more from Nikita, who was there last night.

Elections: The League of Women Voters of New Jersey and some Bay Head residents are suing the Ocean County Board of Elections and its GOP chair, George Gilmore, alleging the board is illegally challenging the status of some Democratic and unaffiliated Bay Head voters at the behest of the town’s Republican leader. “The Ocean County Board of Elections has intimidated and discriminated against voters in Bay Head and put unconstitutional barriers in the way of the exercise of their fundamental right to vote,” said Liza Weisberg, supervising attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, which is representing the plaintiffs.

Trenton: EMS responders went to Trenton Thursday to urge lawmakers to pass a bill that would make their services a requirement for every town, like police and fire. Legislators on the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee didn’t vote, but vowed action. “It’s 2026. It’s time to make us essential,” said Jennifer McCarthy, a vice president and board member of the statewide EMS Task Force.

Health: A recent regulatory change at the state level is making it easier for some healthcare providers to handle mental and physical healthcare in one location, and the state is awarding contracts to two nonprofits to do this type of work, called integrated care. “The goal in integrated care is to ensure access to the right care, with the right team members, at the right time – all within a coordinated system of care,” said Sarah Aleman, the senior VP who oversees behavioral health at Zufall, one of those nonprofits.

Jersey City: There was a bit of an earthquake in Jersey City’s City Hall Thursday, with Mayor James Solonon’s administration announcing (as reported by John Heinis at Hudson County View) that the city’s CFO, deputy mayor for housing, and acting communications director are all gone, just days after the city said it is parting ways with its chief counsel and two weeks after its communications director was separated from the city payroll. The whole thing has Saturday Night Massacre vibes for Solomon, a Democrat who just took office in January and has struggled to deal with a massive budget deficit. Anyone looking for work?

Commentary: Things are pretty hectic over in our state’s largest city, too, with Newark’s school district still reeling from a state audit that reveals a host of financial decisions that have critics calling for heads to roll. I have some thoughts.