FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Friday, October 17, 2025
Contact: press@runforsomething.net

Young, Community-Focused NJ Candidates Are Driving Voter Enthusiasm

In New Jersey, voters are just weeks from heading to the polls in a competitive gubernatorial race—and down-ballot candidates are helping to power the voter excitement needed to secure victory.

As Democrats look to maintain control of the governorship by electing Rep. Mikie Sherrill, young candidates running at the local level are driving the kind of grassroots enthusiasm that boosts turnout statewide. This reverse coattails effect has been seen before and is once again poised to become a defining dynamic in New Jersey’s 2025 election.

This year, Run for Something (RFS) endorsed a slate of nearly a dozen young, diverse, and bold leaders running to make their communities better places to live. From city councils to mayoral offices to the General Assembly, these candidates are shaping local politics now and setting the tone for the next generation of values-driven leadership.

In Jersey City, for example, RFS endorsed Mussab Ali for mayor and Jake Ephros for city council. Ali is an immigrant, the child of union workers, and a Jersey City public school alum who became the youngest elected official in the city’s history when he joined the school board. He’s running on a bold, progressive platform focused on building thousands of new affordable homes, launching a city-run bus line, and cracking down on bad landlords.

Ephros has similarly led a bold campaign that leverages social media to connect with voters and highlight community-centered policies like universal rent control, universal childcare, and safe, clean, and green streets.

Further up the ticket, RFS endorsed Jersey City resident Katie Brennan to represent District 32 in the General Assembly. Brennan is an outspoken community advocate in Hudson County, fighting for fair housing policies and stronger tenant safeguards. She has also worked closely with neighbors to strengthen Jersey City’s inclusionary zoning ordinance and protect Hoboken’s rent control law.

These candidates aren’t just competing for seats—they’re mobilizing voters who might otherwise sit out local elections, knocking on doors in communities often ignored by statewide campaigns, and providing face-to-face interactions low-propensity voters need to get to the polls. Their organizing is helping expand the Democratic electorate and build infrastructure that sustains wins beyond a single election cycle.

Reporters looking to discuss the importance of local races in New Jersey to the larger political landscape in the state or connect with RFS candidates should contact press@runforsomething.net.

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Run for Something (RFS) recruits and supports young progressive candidates for down-ballot offices. Since its founding, RFS has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates across the country, including 18 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2024 election cycle. Today, RFS has the largest database of any other Democratic organization, with 70,000 people reaching out since November with interest in running for office.