Voters in Mercer County, New Jersey—facing a steep rise in property taxes—could play a decisive role in shifting this year’s gubernatorial race in favor of Republicans. Despite Democrats holding a strong voter registration advantage both in the county and statewide, recent trends suggest that frustrated taxpayers may be ready to challenge the state’s one-party rule.
If change doesn’t come, the financial strain is expected to grow increasingly unsustainable in the years ahead, Restoration News reported this week.
Middle-class families and seniors on fixed incomes—many of whom hope to remain in the communities they’ve called home for generations—will have another chance to make their voices heard on November 4, when they vote for the next governor.
Currently, 11 candidates from both parties are competing in the June 10 primary. However, none have directly addressed the 22 percent property tax hike that struck residents of the capital county last summer. New Jersey’s average annual property tax bill now exceeds $10,000—a record high.
Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, a Democrat, placed full responsibility for the 22 percent property tax increase on Mercer County officials in a message to residents. He pointed to the Board of County Commissioners, which is tasked with reviewing and approving the budget that triggered the hike.
The outlet asked Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, also a Democrat, which specific county officials approved the tax increase and what public records—if any—exist from the County Commissioners and the Board of Taxation that document the decision. Both bodies should be able to provide some clarity.
In his response, Benson noted that the State Comptroller’s Office, under the previous administration, found that Mercer County had improper financial policies in place. The investigation also revealed that former Chief Financial Officer Dave Miller did not hold the proper credentials for the position.
“This led to a whopping $4.5 million fine by the IRS and the loss of over $10 million in state aid, among other negative impacts,” Benson explained. “I knew our first budget would be challenging. We completed the long overdue 2022 audit and found over $10 million in deferred charges (spending from prior years that were not paid for) and $12.5 million in one-time federal American Rescue Plan funding used to plug their budget.”
He continued: “These 2 items alone account for over 2/3 of this year’s tax increase. Other systemic issues like unsustainable increases in health care, prescription, and insurance costs make up parts of the rest of the increase.”
For nearly three decades, New Jersey has remained a Democratic stronghold. But political tides appear to be shifting, with other growing signs of discontent emerging across the Garden State.
Beneath its image as a suburban liberal enclave, working-class voters are increasingly expressing frustration with what they view as failed Democratic policies that have harmed their livelihoods and eroded their fundamental rights.
A new Emerson poll shows President Donald Trump with a 47 percent approval rating in New Jersey—a state he lost by nearly six points in the 2024 election. In contrast, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy trails Trump in approval, sitting at just 40 percent.
According to new analysis from Quantus Insights’ Jason Corley, “Trump’s rise in New Jersey is more than a polling quirk—it is a symptom of the deeper disillusionment of a forgotten electorate. Compared to his dismal 38% approval in 2020, Trump has gained nearly 18 net points in five years. The self-anointed progressives who run Trenton and dominate Newark, Camden, and Paterson may have the numbers on paper, but they are losing the pulse of the people.”
In the last election, former Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly carried New Jersey, winning by just 5.91 percent—a sharp 10-point drop from Joe Biden’s margin in the 2020 race. Trump also flipped several counties long considered Democratic strongholds, including Gloucester, Passaic, Atlantic, Cumberland, and Morris.