‘Bridgegate’ investigator will seek Democratic seat in NJ governor race

A New Jersey lawmaker who co-chaired the legislative investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane closures is now running for governor.

Democratic Assemblyman John Wisniewski says New Jersey needs a leader who understands Main Street, not Wall Street.

“When we look at where New Jersey stands today we see a middle class that’s under siege and New Jersey needs a new kind of leadership that’s going to work to help the middle class, not the tenth of one percent that doesn’t need any help.”

Rider University political science professor Ben Dworkin believes it will be an uphill battle for Wisniewski to defeat former Goldman Sachs executive Phil Murphy and secure the Democratic nomination.

“Virtually everyone in the Democratic Party establishment has rallied around Phil Murphy. Murphy also has a huge lead in fund raising not the least of which is because he has tremendous personal wealth.”

Fairleigh Dickinson University political scientist Peter Woolley says Wisniewski is starting from a deep hole.

“He’s going to have to chase down endorsements. He’s going to have to convince people that giving him money is a good idea because he has a chance to win. It’s a tough sell.”

Wisniewski believes he will be able to raise enough campaign money though the state’s matching funds system to be a viable candidate.