A Binghamton University alumnus has announced his plan to run for New Jersey governor in 2025.

Steven Fulop, ‘99, is currently serving his third year as mayor of Jersey City, the second largest city by population in New Jersey. As of now, Fulop is the only person to have formally announced his candidacy for governor, and Fulop already has plans to boost his campaign in the upcoming months.

Fulop majored in political science, and after graduating, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2002 to 2006. Fulop also worked at Goldman Sachs, an investment banking firm, before he decided to pursue a career in politics, according to his campaign announcement video.

In a Politico article about his campaign, Fulop described his motivations for attaining higher office.

“I’m launching my campaign now because I believe that New Jersey can become an even better place for all of us, and I will be sharing my vision over the coming months for how we will make it happen,” Fulop said. “I’ve never backed down from a fight before, and I’m ready to work hard for all the people of our great state to deliver the results New Jersey deserves.”

David Campbell, a professor of public administration at BU, explained why Fulop would announce a campaign this early. He suggested Fulop’s early announcement could potentially prevent other candidates from entering the race, as well as provide a head start with fundraising and gathering key endorsements. Additionally, Campbell wrote that the early campaign announcement can help Fulop assemble a strong team before others begin to announce their campaigns.

Fulop spoke to several of Campbell’s students in 2022, according to BingUNews, sharing his experience in public administration and urging them to step out of their comfort zone for new opportunities. In particular, Fulop had described how the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks motivated him to leave his job as a financial analyst and enlist in the Marine Corps.

Campbell listed several other BU alumni that are both pursuing elected office, and wrote that students should take pride in attending the same University as successful politicians.

“One thing [BU] students can be proud of is that alumni of the University are engaging in high-profile public service,” Campbell wrote in an email. “Regardless of political party, we have a growing number of alumni pursuing and achieving elective office.”

Nick Leo, a freshman majoring in politics, philosophy and law, described being inspired by Fulop, and hopes to implement his teachings in his future career.

“I feel as if a lot of times people just feel like everything in politics is fake without realizing the difficulties that come with it,” Leo said. “Being constantly in the face of the public is already something nerve-wracking, might as well step out of your comfort zone and see where the opportunities can take you.”

According to the Jersey City website, Fulop has created approximately 10,000 new jobs since taking office in 2013. These positions were created by hiring over 300 police officers, approving 1,500 units of affordable housing and a $10 million investment toward parks and open spaces.

Charlotte Hunsinger, a freshman majoring in psychology, explained that while she doesn’t align herself with all of Fulop’s decisions, she still respects BU alumni for their ability to utilize their education in their career.

“There’s definitely parts that I don’t agree with what Fulop has done,” Hunsinger said. “However, it definitely is impressive that he was able to further his political science studies and make a career out of politics. That on its own is a huge success.”

Fulop’s campaign website claims that his long career and desire to create solutions for difficult challenges will continue if he is elected governor. Fulop added that he has a decade of government experience and hopes that the 2025 election will give him the chance to further his goals.