SOMA Action Endorses Fulop for Governor

Progressive Organization Uses Ranked Choice Voting; Fulop Secures 81.6% After Final Round

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Fulop for Governor campaign is proud to announce the endorsement of SOMA Action, a prominent progressive grassroots organization based in Essex County. Using a Ranked Choice Voting system and a two-thirds threshold requirement, SOMA Action members ultimately gave Steven Fulop 81.6% of the vote after all rounds were tallied.

“SOMA Action’s process is exactly what democracy in New Jersey should look like, transparent, inclusive, and reflective of true voter support,” said Jersey City Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop. “I’m especially honored by this endorsement because SOMA Action is based in Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s home district, where their members were instrumental in her election. Their commitment to progressive values is unmatched.”

Of the six gubernatorial candidates considered, only Fulop (47%), Ras Baraka (28%), and Mikie Sherrill (15%) received first-choice votes, while 10% of voters selected “no endorsement.” Because no candidate reached the required two-thirds threshold initially, but 90% of members wanted the group to endorse, a ranked-choice runoff was triggered. After successive rounds, Fulop emerged as the consensus choice with 81.6% support.

“Giving voters a meaningful say in elections is a critical part of rebuilding our democracy,” said Allison Posner, Co-President of SOMA Action. “New Jersey has a bad habit of picking ‘elected’ officials behind closed doors and teaching them that they don’t need to bother to engage with their voters.”

The Fulop campaign credits its growing grassroots momentum to Mayor Fulop’s clear and actionable policy agenda, and his record as a results-driven executive, not a politician who speaks in platitudes.

“Steve just wrapped up his 120th Meet & Greet, and what we’re hearing from voters is clear: they’re ready to move on from the old party-boss politics,” said Lisa Mandelblatt, Senior Advisor for Community Engagement. “No one in this race has been more direct with voters about what they’ve accomplished and what they plan to do, even when it’s not the easy or popular answer. Steve’s authenticity is resonating, and that’s why we now have 2,000 energized volunteers on the ground, ready to deliver the change New Jersey deserves.”