A Trump-supporting trucker who made history in 2021 by winning an election against a Democrat who was New Jersey’s longest-serving senate president is now running for the governor – and says affordability is the "major issue" facing his state.
Edward Durr, speaking to Politico, said "We are dying in the state because of the affordability problem" as "people can’t afford to live here" and "they can’t afford to raise a family here."
Durr, who served a single term as a New Jersey state senator following his 2021 election victory, is one of several Republican candidates seeking the governor’s office. On the Democrat side – Steve Sweeney, who for 12 years served as the state’s senate president before losing to Durr in South Jersey a few years ago, is among those also running against him.
"I will do what is right for New Jersey, even if it means I would be tossed in the next four years," Durr told Politico, which reports that he is confident in pursuing a conservative agenda for the state. "Because I wouldn’t care. I would do what’s right, and not be owned by anybody."
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Durr, speaking on affordability, told Politico that New Jersey should lower its taxes to bring in jobs and businesses.
"We are losing good companies, and all I see is a bunch of warehouses going up and no manufacturing. We need manufacturing," he said.
On the issue of abortion, Durr said he believes New Jersey has "went to the extreme."
"I think if you poll this state, 70 to 80 percent of the people do not agree with 7-, 8-, 9-month abortions, because that just seems cruel. And I think we should scale it back," he told Politico. "I don’t think that the population agrees with abortion-on-demand for illegal aliens coming here and just getting their abortions when somebody living paycheck to paycheck can’t afford their abortion. So it does seem out of place."
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Durr also said "I would like to see us have a little more Second Amendment belief in this state" and that he "absolutely will" seek former President Trump’s endorsement, although if he doesn’t, "it doesn’t change my view that I’m still going to run."
"We had a really good state when I was a kid, growing up. My father was able to provide for a family of six. I believe that it would be great if we could get back to raising families and staying here instead of going away," he said to Politico.
As for being a trucker, Durr said, "I’m not a millionaire and I gotta make ends meet."
"I mean, until I have a million dollars in my bank account and I don’t have to work, I’m going to continue to work," he added. "I like to drive. It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed. That’s why I’ve done it for 30 years."
