Newark, NJ – If you think New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is a far-left progressive, hold on to your electric vehicle steering wheel, because the man who hopes to succeed him, is even further left. This candidate makes Governor Murphy look like a gun-toting, bible-thumping, Trump-loving MAGA Republican.
If you think gas car bans, forced vaccinations, and restrictions on personal freedoms was bad enough, get ready for reparations, stronger sanctuary state laws, baby bonds, and paychecks for those who do not work.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is setting a distinctly progressive course in the Democratic primary to replace Governor Phil Murphy, by taking Murphy’s progressive agenda even further to the left.
At an event at Rowan University on Tuesday night, Mayor Baraka presented his vision for New Jersey’s future, emphasizing affordable housing, reparations, baby bonds, desegregating schools, and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
Ultimately, all of that means higher taxes, more restrictions, and more government intrusion for the rest of the state.
Baraka went as far as to criticize the current pace of progress, under Phil Murphy stating, “We’re still in a moderate kind of slow-paced walk. And we have not gone as far as we can go.”
The Newark mayor also defended Newark’s sanctuary city status.
Mayor Baraka’s progressive stance is in line with his tenure as mayor of Newark since 2014, where he has supported various progressive initiatives. These include a universal basic income pilot program, the establishment of a civilian complaint review board to oversee police misconduct allegations, and lowering the voting age to 16 for school board elections.
On the topic of maintaining Newark’s status as a “sanctuary city,” Baraka responded affirmatively, likening the question to asking if “America should continue to be a democracy.”
But wait, there’s another.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, another Democratic candidate for governor, shares Baraka’s progressive approach, including advocating for increased corporate taxes to fund public services. Baraka also supports reinstating the corporate business tax surcharge and proposes a broader overhaul of the state’s tax system to support families, healthcare, and transportation. While specific plans for addressing New Jersey’s racial wealth gap were not detailed, Baraka mentioned reparations as a starting point for discussion.
So far, the choices on the Democrat side should be exciting news for Republicans who have fumbled the past two elections against Phil Murphy.