NJ-05 House winner?

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel by unveiling a package of bipartisan measures honoring victims, hostages and survivors. The event was held in Tenafly, New Jersey, alongside the family of Edan Alexander, a local native who was held captive in Gaza for 584 days before his release in May 2025.

The October 7 Remembrance Resolution, backed by 50 co-sponsors, commemorates the attack, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, supports a Gaza free of Hamas rule and condemns rising antisemitism. Gottheimer also renewed support for the Oct. 7 Congressional Gold Medal Act, the Oct. 7 Remembrance Education Act, and new legislation pressuring the United Nations to designate Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. He cited a surge in antisemitic incidents since 2023, noting New Jersey ranked third nationally and Bergen County recorded the state's highest total.

Other New Jersey and New York officials, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Gov. Kathy Hochul, also issued statements marking the anniversary and condemning antisemitism.

Republicans are targeting Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, both New York Democrats, for voting against a federal spending bill that included funding for the World Trade Center Health Program, despite both having previously touted their support for the program. The bill, HR 7148, passed the House 217-214 on Feb. 3 and was signed by President Trump, ending a four-day government shutdown. It provided funding for several federal departments and extended the WTC health program's funding formula through 2040 to address rising medical costs for 9/11 responders and survivors.

Most Democrats opposed the bill amid a standoff over ICE funding, though 21 Democrats, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer and James Clyburn, voted for it. The National Republican Congressional Committee accused Suozzi and Gillen of hypocrisy given their earlier statements backing the health program. Both campaigns pushed back, with Suozzi's team calling it a partisan attack and Gillen's spokesperson citing her personal ties to 9/11 and record of advocacy. Both Long Island Democrats face competitive re-election races in November.

Several Long Island-area members of Congress introduced bills in the final days before the House adjourned for the year, measures that experts say have little realistic chance of becoming law this session. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) filed a bill with two New Jersey Republicans creating a federal tax deduction of more than $4,000 annually for commuting costs, including gas, transit fares, and tolls like New York City's congestion pricing—introduced five days after the House had already left Washington. Other late entries include a Gottheimer-LaLota bill restricting Chinese AI on U.S. government systems, a Suozzi-Tenney bill targeting healthcare fraud and waste, and a Garbarino-Gillibrand measure to reimburse pension systems for 9/11-related death and disability benefits.

Congressional scholars, including Binghamton University's Donald Nieman and Georgetown's Joshua Huder, describe such bills as "messaging" or "position-taking" efforts aimed at campaign talking points rather than governance, since lame-duck sessions rarely advance new legislation. Some sponsors dispute that characterization, citing bipartisan backing and hopes for eventual passage.

Passaic dedicated its first New Jersey Black Heritage Trail marker on Saturday, Aug. 29, honoring the Rev. James H. Penn, who became the city and county's first Black lawyer in 1909. Penn arrived in Passaic from Petersburg, Virginia, in 1900, worked as a letter carrier, and studied law before opening his own practice in 1914. He practiced for more than six decades, retiring in 1975 at age 95, and was active in civil rights and local Republican politics. He also helped establish Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where the marker now stands.

City officials, church members and community leaders attended the unveiling, led by Mayor Hector Lora. It is the second Black Heritage Trail marker in Passaic County, following one placed at Paterson's Hinchliffe Stadium in 2025. Created by state law in 2022, the trail now includes 77 approved sites and 19 installed markers, with organizers describing it as a continually growing "living trail."

A decades-old dispute over a 31,000-square-foot strip of protected parkland in Leonia, New Jersey, has stalled a land sale that Kulite Industries, the borough's largest employer, needs to build an employee parking lot. The state Department of Environmental Protection won't grant permanent access through Overpeck County Park until Leonia resolves a separate issue: its public works buildings, built in 1974, encroach on land classified under the state's Green Acres program.

Fixing the encroachment would require either demolishing the DPW facility or providing five acres of replacement land per acre affected, both costly for taxpayers. Mayor Bill Ziegler has pressed the county, DEP, and Governor Mikie Sherrill's office for relief, while Kulite, which employs nearly 900 people and is being courted by other states, says the parking shortage threatens its ability to stay in New Jersey.

Bergen County commissioners have approved a $111,907 engineering contract with HNTB Corp. to assess and modernize the county's adaptive traffic signal system, which coordinates light timing at 33 intersections across Fort Lee and Hackensack. The system, designed to adjust signal timing in real time based on traffic conditions, currently serves nine intersections in Fort Lee and 24 in Hackensack but is not functioning as intended.

Under the agreement, HNTB will evaluate existing equipment and technology, identify needed repairs or replacements, and develop engineering plans to restore and modernize the network. The review will also examine whether the county's existing fiber-optic infrastructure can be used to strengthen communication between intersections, along with potential upgrades to the hardware and software managing the system. County officials say the resulting assessment will provide a road map for longer-term improvements to reliability, maintenance, and future capacity, with HNTB continuing to provide engineering support as upgrades move forward.

Pompton Lakes has been named the No. 1 seed in the 2026 Passaic County Tournament for field hockey, marking the third consecutive year the Cardinals have topped the bracket. As the sole top seed, Pompton Lakes is the only team to earn a first-round bye.

The Cardinals are looking to reclaim the county title after West Milford ended their four-year championship streak with a 2-1 win in last season's final. The two programs have faced off in the final round in seven of the past nine seasons, underscoring one of the county's most consistent rivalries. Pompton Lakes already holds a result against its rival this season, having won a regular-season matchup 3-0 on Sept. 25.

The six remaining tournament teams begin first-round play on Saturday, Oct. 10, with semifinals set for Tuesday, Oct. 13. The championship final will be hosted at Lakeland on Friday, Oct. 16.

New Jersey holds its general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with voter registration closed as of October 13 and mail-in ballot requests due by October 27. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide. Top races include the U.S. Senate contest, where Democratic incumbent Cory Booker faces Republican Justin Murphy and several third-party and write-in candidates. All 12 of New Jersey's House seats are also on the ballot, with the 2nd Congressional District drawing particular attention as Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew, who switched parties in 2019, defends his seat against Democratic challenger Zack Mullock, mayor of Cape May, and independent Ramon Mora Jr.

A New Jersey Superior Court judge cleared the way Tuesday for the Ocean County Board of Elections to continue inquiries into the voting eligibility of dozens of Bay Head residents, denying an emergency injunction sought by the ACLU of New Jersey on behalf of the League of Women Voters. The plaintiffs argued the challenge process, aimed at registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters whose tax bills are mailed out of town, amounted to a politically motivated purge during the pre-election quiet period. The board countered that it is simply fulfilling its duty to verify domicile status.

A tense public meeting followed the ruling, with the evenly split board's Republican chairman George Gilmore and Democratic secretary Wyatt Earp clashing over a list of 39 flagged voters submitted by a local GOP official that included no Republicans. Several voters have already been removed or asked to be removed from the rolls. Gilmore drew sharp backlash, including for a joking remark about immigration enforcement being "on call" at the polls. The ACLU and League of Women Voters are weighing an appeal.

The Republican National Committee has filed a federal lawsuit against New Jersey election officials, including Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell and the secretary of state, seeking data on noncitizens registered to vote. State officials have acknowledged roughly 6,600 noncitizen registrations, though the Trump administration estimates the true figure could be 35,000 or higher. Rep. Tom Kean has filed a separate suit as a New Jersey constituent.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill has refused to turn over voter data to federal officials, citing privacy concerns for state residents. A spokesman for Sherrill said Republicans have made similar requests in other states more than twenty times without success in court. The RNC had asked New Jersey to explain by September how noncitizens were added to voter rolls, what removal efforts are underway, and who is responsible for oversight. The dispute comes as both parties intensify efforts around voter roll accuracy and election administration ahead of the 2026 midterms.