Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) is surely no stranger to readers of The Jewish Link.

The congressman has established a well-earned reputation as a consistent advocate of a strong United States/Israel alliance, a fearless opponent of antisemitism and anti-Israel activism, and a bridge builder who advances U.S. interests in the Middle East and the needs of his constituents in Washington, D.C.

Gottheimer launched his campaign for governor of New Jersey on November 15 at the Runway Diner in South Hackensack, declaring that he will fight to “make New Jersey more affordable again.” He stated: “Life in Jersey has become too damn expensive. We pay too much in taxes and too much to live.”

In the interest of giving readers a fuller picture of Gottheimer’s views in his race for the governor’s chair, The Jewish Link spoke with him during the Thanksgiving weekend. Our questions and Gottheimer’s responses follow.

What inspires you to run for governor of New Jersey?

I believe that we need lower taxes and lower costs in New Jersey. I am also motivated to get things done for folks and for New Jersey. I’ve worked hard to increase the clawback of funds from the federal government, to New Jersey; I’ve brought back funds for roads and bridges, and other needs. We must make life more affordable and lower child care costs.

This work is not new to me. Since my first campaign for Congress, my lawn signs have always said, “Lower Taxes, Jersey Values.” I’ve recently been fighting the congestion tax in New York and helped lower insulin prices. I’m always looking for ways to bring costs down, because New Jersey is far too expensive.

In New Jersey we’re losing people and jobs. We’ve lost 33% of public companies in the last 10 years. We’re bleeding out people and jobs, and we need to get them back. The New Jersey state budget has gone up 44% since 2019; the general fund went from $37.2 billion to $53.4 billion. We must do much better.

What is your leadership style?

I believe in finding common ground to govern. I will work with anyone if it is good for New Jersey and stands up to our Jersey values.

I am the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress, which I started in 2017, which has been very effective in getting things done that people said would be impossible. We helped pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, a foreign aid bill, electoral reform, and a bunch of other common-sense measures.

I always ask: How do we get to the 80% that we all agree on, because I realize that you can’t always get to 100%. And I have an unbelievable team of people who’ve been with me for many years.

Please identify three to four accomplishments in your role as Congressman that best inform your prospective approach as governor.

I helped write, negotiate and pass the infrastructure bill and was recognized by President Biden for my efforts.

I helped pass common-sense gun legislation, the PAC Act for veterans, the CHIPS Act that promotes the manufacturing of semiconductor chips in the U.S., the CARES Act with President Trump, the HEAL Act, and others.

I am an advocate of foreign aid on the House Select Committee on Intelligence and the co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus.

I stand up to BDS, help Israel obtain and fund defensive capabilities like the Arrow III system, and I’m fighting for the U.S. government to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

In your view, what are the three biggest problems facing the State of New Jersey at this time?

I believe that costs and affordability are far-reaching issues that affect many areas of life in New Jersey. As one example, we have the second most costly child care in the country.

We have to work hard to lower taxes, lower the cost of child care, bring down costs overall, and create an “affordability budget” that gets people here and keeps people here.

Another issue is that we need to fix NJ Transit, which affects the quality of life of many New Jersey residents.

Can you suggest new tactics to fight the rising tide of antisemitism in New Jersey?

This is an age-old problem, yet the lid has been removed and it’s boiling over. People can go out in public and say things that they wouldn’t say a few years ago.

One example is the activities at Rutgers University, which has the second largest university Jewish population in the country. Some of what is happening there is completely unacceptable. We need to stand up and say clearly that this is unacceptable. I’m all for free speech, but screaming and intimidating isn’t free speech. Freedom of speech is allowed but protesters can’t interfere with the speech or safety of others.

We also need to do a better job of teaching our children about the Holocaust and integrate these lessons more completely in K-12 education.

How would you handle the anti-Israel/antisemitic rallies, which often exhibit harassing behaviors, on college campuses and in high schools?

I am troubled by the center at Rutgers-Newark that makes inflammatory statements and brings in antisemitic and anti-Israel speakers. This is unacceptable and should not be allowed. Rutgers must protect students of all religions and backgrounds. If Rutgers keeps funding these activities, which align with foreign terror organizations, why should taxpayers pay for that?

Which leaders have you worked with in New Jersey Jewish communities and would consider as your top advisers on Jewish communal concerns?

It would be impossible to identify them, because there’s a list of hundreds. I have a stable of unbelievable and sage advisers; I’m blessed that way.

Would you consider visiting Israel during the campaign or in your first six months in office, to better understand the issues that animate many Jewish community members?

The question is how many times? I’m there regularly now and will continue to visit. New Jersey and Israel have a lot of activity together, so I will definitely visit.

Would you advocate for increasing the funds available from the Department of Homeland Security to houses of worship in New Jersey?

This year we got a record $4.8 million from the federal Department of Homeland Security for grants to houses of worship in North Jersey. I have always fought to get more funds for security, because we need more resources. That’s why, earlier this year, I was proud to help secure an additional $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes readers’ feedback.