Madison Fernandez

New York

Covering elections @POLITICO | Proudly @NAHJ @EmmaLBowenFdn @DJNF @IthacanOnline, among other things | 📬 [email protected]

Articles

New Jersey mayor sues Trump ally Alina Habba over charges

4 days ago | yahoo.com | Madison Fernandez |Ry Rivard |Kyle Cheney |Josh Gerstein

The mayor of New Jersey’s largest city is suing the Trump administration for “malicious prosecution,” after federal prosecutors dropped a criminal charge against him for allegedly trespassing at an immigrant detention facility. Attorneys for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is one of the six Democratic candidates running for governor, say interim U.S. attorney Alina Habba “directed and ratified the unlawful arrest” of Baraka.
Feds charge New Jersey congressmember with assault

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Madison Fernandez |Ry Rivard |Nicholas Wu |Kyle Cheney |Josh Gerstein

The Justice Department announced an assault charge Monday against Rep. LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat who was involved in a chaotic confrontation with officials outside a federal immigration facility earlier this month. The criminal charge follows a May 9 visit by McIver, along with her colleagues Reps. Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman, to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark that unfolded in a tussle and resulted in the arrest of the city’s Democratic mayor.
Feds charge New Jersey congressmember with assault

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez |Ry Rivard |Nicholas Wu |Kyle Cheney |Josh Gerstein

“I have persistently made efforts to address these issues without bringing criminal charges and have given Representative McIver every opportunity to come to a resolution, but she has unfortunately declined,” Habba said in a statement. The charge is an extraordinary stress-test for the separation of powers at a time in which President Donald Trump is seeking to maximize executive branch dominance.
Trump’s chaotic economy is causing headaches for Democrats in New Jersey's governor race

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez |Ry Rivard

Whoever makes it out of the June 10 primary will likely face Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican who nearly unseated term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. Murphy saw that tight race as “the canary in the coal mine” after Trump (who earlier this week endorsed Ciattarelli) made a surprisingly strong showing in the blue state last fall.
Donald Trump takes sides in New Jersey's GOP primary for governor

3 weeks ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez

Jack Ciattarelli is his candidate. President Donald Trump is backing Republican Jack Ciattarelli for New Jersey governor, a long-awaited move that could put him on a clearer path to being the party nominee this June. “Jack Ciattarelli is a terrific America First Candidate running to be the next Governor of a State that I love, NEW JERSEY!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday, with less than a month to go until the primary.
New Jersey’s gov hopefuls signal for outside help in final weeks of primary

4 weeks ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez

“Redboxing” is an increasingly common campaign tactic. Rep. Mikie Sherrill speaks after the Democratic gubernatorial debate at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Feb. 2, 2025. | Mike Catalini/AP Democrats running for governor of New Jersey are posting guidance for voter outreach on their campaign websites — an increasingly common campaign tactic that can serve as a signal to outside groups of how to spend their resources in the leadup to the June primary.
Gottheimer funnels $10 million from congressional campaign into group supporting bid for gov

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Madison Fernandez

New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s congressional campaign has sent close to $10 million to a super PAC supporting his bid for governor. The total was disclosed in the Democrat’s congressional campaign finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, covering the first quarter of 2025.
The MAGA ‘celebrity’ trying to turn New Jersey red in 2025

2 months ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez

‘A load of excitement’ Presler spending so much time in New Jersey “signals to a lot of people that we’re taking 2025 very seriously,” said Hunterdon County Republican Committee Chair Gabe Plumer. And while Presler’s voter registrations tactics could help Republicans close the gap that Democrats have held in the state, it’s his persona that they see as just as much of a value add to build off Republicans’ enthusiasm from last year.
Battleground New Jersey?

2 months ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez

Good Friday morning!New Jersey hasn’t been seen as a political battleground for decades. Republicans are hoping this year is different. Long the minority party in the state, New Jersey Republicans have been emboldened by President Donald Trump’s closer than expected finish in November, as well as gains in registered Republicans over the years. Also helping their cause ahead of this year’s gubernatorial election: some early national buy-in.
New Jersey’s revered Monmouth University Polling Institute to shut down in July

2 months ago | politico.com | Madison Fernandez

The university’s president cited “changing political and media landscapes.” The Monmouth University Polling Institute was established in 2005 and has been led by Patrick Murray. | Mel Evans/AP Monmouth University is shuttering its nationally recognized polling institute, citing “changing political and media landscapes.” Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy announced the closure, effective July 1, on Wednesday.