Newark Mayor Ras Baraka speaks to Rutgers Democrats on 2025 gubernatorial campaign

On Wednesday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D-N.J.) spoke to the Rutgers Democrats at the College Avenue Student Center about his campaign for governor.

Baraka, who has served as mayor since 2014, is competing in the Democratic primary, which includes Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop (D-N.J.), former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, and former New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney. Additionally, both Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) and Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11) are considering bids, according to PBS. Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) is ineligible to run for a third term.

Baraka began his remarks by criticizing what he perceives as a lack of ambition within the Democratic party.

"We march all the way up to the door of democracy, and we don't have the courage to open it because of the pushback that we think we're going to get," he said. "Democrats spend a lot of their time wrestling to try to get moderate and conservative voters to join the party, and the loyal folks in the party usually feel like we're not doing enough."

Baraka praised New Jersey's education and health care systems but took issue with impoverished people's lack of access to those resources. He also took issue with New Jersey Transit raising fare prices instead of targeting corporations and the wealthy.

Baraka also discussed his support of affordable housing, touting his progress in reducing homelessness in Newark. He went on to point toward his efforts to reduce homicides and replace lead pipes in the city, showcasing his speed as evidence of his competency over his peers.

After his remarks, Baraka fielded questions from students. Asked to elaborate on his support for affordable housing, Baraka said housing more individuals can relieve tax burdens for those who live in the state. He added that affordable housing should be built near transit hubs and that the eventual goal will be to decrease homelessness.

"If I take your Section 8 voucher that you use to pay public housing with and turn it into a mortgage … Now I took your generational situation in poverty, now you have equity," he said.

Baraka was then asked about his strategy to run an outspokenly progressive campaign. He suggested that his focus is on the issues he cares about.

"I'm not running against them (his opponents), I'm running against unemployment and poverty and inequity," he said.

When asked about Newark's economic gains, Baraka credited his administration's work with local institutions and corporations. He said that Rutgers—Newark, Rutgers Law School—Newark and Rutgers School of Criminal Justice all work to combat crime in the city by sharing and collecting data.

On government transparency, Baraka stated that he opposes Gov. Murphy's steps to weaken the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).

Asked several times about police reform, Baraka pointed to various issues he has seen in law enforcement across the state and reaffirmed his strides to reduce violent crime in Newark through community actions. Additionally, he advocated for more comprehensive background checks and evaluations of individuals who apply to work as police officers.

Baraka also sat down with The Daily Targum, where he addressed conflicting claims about his involvement in ending the pro-Palestine encampment at Rutgers—Newark in the Spring 2024 semester. Baraka said the University told him that there was a large number of homeless people at the encampment, and so, he sent some police officers to evaluate the scene.

"We went over there and looked, and they couldn't find anybody … so we left," he said.

Baraka went on to say he understood why some police officers felt the need to respond but did not believe they should have been at Rutgers—Newark, citing his own experiences as an activist.

"I support protesting, it would be hypocritical for me not to," he said. "I took over an administration building for four days while I was a student at Howard University, so we support that totally."

When asked about the University's decision to suspend Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Rutgers—New Brunswick and disciplinary proceedings against individuals, Baraka reaffirmed students' right to protest.

"I was in the same situation as a student, people trying to de-register me because of the actions that I took," he said. "If you have a student … expressing their rights, their concerns, they have the ability to do that, and we should be doing what we can to allow them to matriculate through the University and also preserve their right to protest."

On what issues young New Jersey voters care about, Baraka pointed toward affordability and representation.

Baraka wrapped up by addressing a ceremony he oversaw last year celebrating a sister city partnership with a country that did not exist and was orchestrated by a con artist. Baraka said he felt something was suspect, but did not want to cause an incident by disrupting the ceremony.

"I think it was an honest and fair mistake by the people who organized the event, and we handled it immediately," he said. "I let it take place, and when it was over, we did what we needed to do."