Josh Gottheimer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's5th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Scott Garrett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1975-03-08)March 8, 1975 (age 50) Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA) Pembroke College, Oxford (attended) Harvard University (JD) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Joshua S. Gottheimer[1] (/ˈɡɒthaɪmər/GOT-hy-mər; born March 8, 1975) is an American politician, attorney, writer, and public policy adviser serving as theU.S. representative forNew Jersey's 5th congressional district since 2017. A member of theDemocratic Party, his district stretches along the northern border of the state fromNew York City's densely populated metropolitan suburbs inBergen County northwest throughexurban and rural territory in northernPassaic andSussex Counties.
Gottheimer was aspeechwriter forBill Clinton and served as an adviser to the presidential campaigns ofWesley Clark,John Kerry, andHillary Clinton. He has also worked forBurson Cohn & Wolfe, theFederal Communications Commission,Ford Motor Company, andMicrosoft.
Gottheimer was born inLivingston, New Jersey, on March 8, 1975.[2] Gottheimer is the son of Jewish parents, a preschool teacher and a small business owner.[3] Growing up, Gottheimer stocked shelves at his father's store.[4] He was bar mitzvahed both in New Jersey and in Israel. He describes the experience as foundational.[5][6] At the age of 16, Gottheimer served as aU.S. Senate page forFrank Lautenberg, a senator fromNew Jersey. Through high school and college, Gottheimer held internships withC-SPAN, thesecretary of the Senate, andTom Foley, thespeaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.[7]
Gottheimer graduated fromWest Essex High School in 1993. He attended theUniversity of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1997 with aBachelor of Arts degree in American historyPhi Beta Kappa andsumma cum laude.[8][9][10] He was a member of theAlpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, master and president of the Interfraternity Council, a member of Sphinx Senior Society, and a University Scholar.[11][12] While at Penn, he served on the "rapid response team" forBill Clinton's1996 reelection campaign. After Clinton's reelection, Gottheimer attendedPembroke College, Oxford, on aThouron Award, studying toward aPh.D. in modern history.[13][14] In 2004, Gottheimer graduated fromHarvard Law School with aJuris Doctor.
Gottheimer joined theClinton administration as aspeechwriter in 1998, at age 23,[7] working in the administration until its end in 2001. While attending law school, he worked as an adviser forWesley Clark's 2004 presidential campaign,John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, andHillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.[15] After the 2004 election, Gottheimer worked for theFord Motor Company, then became an executive vice president atBurson–Marsteller.[7] From 2010 to 2012, he worked for theFederal Communications Commission,[16] where he led an initiative related tobroadband internet.[17] He subsequently became a strategist atMicrosoft.[18]
In the 2016 election, Gottheimer ran for the House of Representatives in New Jersey's 5th congressional district promoting himself as pro-business but socially progressive.[19][20]
By June 30, 2016, Gottheimer's official campaign had raised over $2.9 million. Gottheimer ultimately acquired $4.3 million for his 2016 campaign.[21]
The Associated Press would go on to summarize the policy distinctions of the race as Gottheimer "[pitching] himself as a fiscal conservative who is socially liberal, promising not to raise taxes while also pledging to fight for LGBT and abortion rights."[22]
In November 2016, Gottheimer won the election, againstScott Garrett, by 14 percent.[23]
Gottheimer facedJohn J. McCann Jr. in his first race for re-election in 2018. In Gottheimer's first three months in office he raised $752,000, and during the second quarter of the 2018 cycle Gottheimer raised $1,500,000.[24][25] NJ.com noted that anti-Trump sentiment during themidterm elections likely helped Gottheimer, as McCann echoed the president on taxes, health care, and immigration.[26]
Gottheimer was reelected in 2018, defeating John McCann with 56% of the vote.[27]
In 2020, Gottheimer faced a primary challenge from,Arati Kreibich. During the campaign Gottheimer remarked that, "...ifBernie Sanders,socialized medicine and extremism are more of your view, then my opponent is probably your candidate."[28] Gottheimer received endorsements fromNancy Pelosi andHakeem Jeffries.[29] In July 2020, Gottheimer won the primary election with 70.1% of the vote.[30]
Gottheimer was elected to his third term, againstFrank Pallotta, with 53 percent of the vote, running ahead ofJoe Biden's 52 percent of the vote.[31][32]
The fifth district was redrawn, giving it a 6 point increase of Democratic voters, making the district safer for Gottheimer.[33]
In May 2022, Gottheimer was accused of influencing the Republican primary, and helping Pallotta receive the 2022 Republican primary.[34] This was common strategy where Democrats boosted the far-right Republican candidates, making it easier to defeat in the general election.[35]
As of October 2022, Gottheimer had $14 million in campaign funds, raising $7.9 million for the 2021-2022 cycle, spending $2.5 million.[36]
Gottheimer, characterized Pallotta as a "far-right extremist" who would undermine the congressman's bipartisan, "commonsense" approach to legislating.[37] Gottheimer was elected to his fourth term in November 2022, defeating Frank Pallotta, with 54.7% of the vote.
Gottheimer announced he would seek re-election to his fifth term in February 2024.[38] By early October, Gottheimer's campaign funds were at $20.3 million, raising $9.3 million for the 2023-2024 cycle.[39]
In March 2024, the day afterMary Jo-Ann Guinchard won the Bergen County GOP line, Gottheimer began criticizing her as a "right-wing extremist" and "MAGA Mary," claiming that she was opposed to abortion, againstred-flag laws, and associated with "anti-government extremist groups andJanuary 6th sympathizers."[40][41]
Gottheimer was elected to his fifth term on November 2024, defeating Guinchard, with 54.5% of the vote.[42]
For the119th Congress:[43]
On November 15, 2024, Gottheimer announced that he would run forgovernor of New Jersey in2025, seeking to succeed outgoing Democratic GovernorPhil Murphy.[55] Gottheimer placed fourth in the Democratic primary on June 10, 2025, receiving 11.8% of the vote and losing to Democratic congresswomanMikie Sherrill.[56]
Gottheimer is considered to be a centrist Democrat.[57] He is a member of theBlue Dog Coalition.[58] He described himself as "socially liberal, fiscally conservative, and passionately centrist" in favor of compromise guided by hisJewish values in 2016.[6] DuringDonald Trump's presidency, Gottheimer voted in line with Trump more often than any other Democrat in Congress.[59][60] During 2021 and 2022, Gottheimer voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time, according to aFiveThirtyEight analysis.[61] In 2023, of 54 measures "on which Biden expressed a clear position," Gottheimer voted for Biden's position 86% of the time.[62]
Gottheimer has been vocal for abortion rights, legislatively voting forWomen's Health Protection Act,[63] Ensuring Access to Abortion Act;[64] voting against Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act;[65] introducing Freedom to Decide Act;[66] and cosponsoring Stop Anti-abortion Disinformation Act.[67] Gottheimer condemned the Supreme Court'sDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, stating, "We must always oppose any attempt...[to] stand between a woman, her doctor, and her faith, when making personal health care decisions..."[68]
Gottheimer supportssame-sex marriage, saying, "I think that people should be able to love and marry whomever they want."[69] Legislatively, Gottheimer voted forRespect for Marriage Act;[70] introducing the Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act (passed under theEquality Act),[71] and the Elder Pride Protection Act.[72]
Gottheimer supports gun control measures likered flag laws, and raising the age to purchase asemi-automatic rifle.[73] Gottheimer has asked House Republicans to help pass multiple gun laws, saying that there was "no reason" to not pass the laws.[74] Gottheimer legislatively voted forBipartisan Safer Communities Act;[75] voted against theConcealed Carry Reciprocity Act;[76] introduced the ALYSSA act;[77] and helped to pass a renewal of theFederal Assault Weapons Ban.[78]
In 2019, Gottheimer stated his opposition to thelegalization of recreational marijuana. The statement came after he voted for a bill that would end the federal penalization of banks that serve thecannabis industry.[79]
On December 4, 2020, Gottheimer voted for theMORE Act, which, "...removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances...and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana".[80] The bill passed in the House but did not advance in the Senate.[81] After the bill was reintroduced, Gottheimer voted for it again on April 1, 2022;[82] this time the bill included an amendment that he proposed, which allocated $10 million to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration to perform a study on how to test drivers for marijuana impairment.[83]
On May 22, 2023, Gottheimer wrote to theDepartment of Agriculture, suggesting it reviseexpiration-date guidelines to reducefood waste. Gottheimer simultaneously supported the Food Date Labeling Act to "establish an easy-to-understand, uniform food date labeling system" that would also "allow food to be sold or donated after a 'best if used by' date," in order to supportfood pantries and the needy.[84]
In July 2024, Gottheimer joinedNew Jersey state senatorsBrian Stack andNicholas Scutari to promote the federal Stop SCAMS Act, a bill he introduced to protectfood assistance beneficiaries from scammers. The senators, noting that such scams had affected 6200 New Jerseyans over the past two years, announced corresponding state-level legislation — both bills mandating the modernization ofbenefit EBT cards by replacingmagnetic strips withEMV.[85][86]
In 2017, Gottheimer explained that he supported some aspects of theAffordable Care Act (allowing adults to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26 and requiring coverage for individuals withpre-existing conditions) but expressed a desire to "fix" aspects such as the medical device tax and theCadillac tax.[87][88]
Gottheimer felt that the Trump Administration'sAmerican Health Care Act of 2017 did not reflect an effort "to reach across the aisle"[87] and would raise healthcare costs for senior citizens.[89]
As of 2019[update], Gottheimer opposedsingle-payer healthcare.[90][91]
In 2022, Gottheimer voted for the Right to Contraception Act, which "guarantee[d] the right to get and usebirth control, includingemergency contraception."[92]
In February 2024, following anAlabama Supreme Court ruling that decided frozenembryos hadrights as children, Gottheimer said, "What Alabama is doing, what many states are doing, what many people in Congress unfortunately are doing, they are conducting a war on women's healthcare and a war on women overall." At the same time, Gottheimer introduced the Securing Access to Fertility Everywhere (SAFE) Act, which would "protect families, doctors and medical facilities from prosecution involving any IVF treatment [such as wrongful death charges for transporting embryonic cells]," and publicly supportedSen. Tammy Duckworth's Right to Build Families Act, which would secure access toIVF treatments.[93][94]
In June 2024, Gottheimer (a member of theBlack Maternal Health Caucus) was joined byRep. Lauren Underwood atHackensack University Medical Center in support of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a 13-bill package aimed at improving social and institutional barriers tomaternal health.[95]
In March 2019, Gottheimer co-sponsored the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, joining, one week after the bill was introduced, more than 200 other congresspeople in doing so. According toThe Record, the bill would have granted, "...permanent legal protection to more than 2 millionundocumented immigrants," includingDreamers and those withtemporarily protected status and DED protections.[96] Speaking retrospectively in 2023, Gottheimer criticized the House Speaker's ability to unilaterally block a vote on any bill (arguing it "paralyzed" bipartisan progress), in part because, "That’s what killed the immigration bill in 2019...[which] would have provided apath to citizenship for Dreamers," as, ultimately, "We had 300 co-sponsors but...Paul Ryan would not bring it to the floor".[97]
In June 2019, Gottheimer supported a $4.6 billion emergency border aid package, which provided $1 billion for migrant shelter and food and $3 billion for childcare, because he did not want to "let the perfect be the enemy of the good".[98][99] The bill especially angered progressives, in part because it set aside $280 million forICE and $1 billion forCustoms and Border Protection,[100] resulting in 95 Democratic representatives voting against it.[101]
In October 2023, Gottheimer backed a bill by Sen.Lindsey Graham that packaged together funds for increased domestic border security with funds for military assistance toUkraine in itsdefense against Russia; Congress ended its session in December 2023 without voting on it.[102][103][104] In February 2024, Gottheimer then co-sponsored Rep.Brian Fitzpatrick's Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act, which would have reinstated President Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy and blocked the use of federal funds to transfer migrants "unless it is for adjudicating their immigration case."[105][106]
In January 2025, Gottheimer voted for theLaken Riley Act (after it was amended by the Senate; he was absent for the original House vote); he was one of 46 House Democrats, and the only Democrat from New Jersey, to join all House Republicans in supporting the bill. He later expressed reservations at the idea of the government "go[ing] into churches and schools to round up innocent people". Gottheimer later declined to comment when asked about the bill applying to non-violent offenses and targeting migrants accused but not convicted of crimes.[107][108][109]
Gottheimer has staunchly opposedcongestion pricing in New York City, one of the most polluted and congested areas in the world.[110][111][112] Gottheimer's rationales for opposing congestion pricing have been that the revenue is not directed to thePATH rail system orNew Jersey Transit,[113] that most opinions offered in the MTA's virtual hearings were by his analysis opposed to congestion pricing,[114] or that increased emissions near theGeorge Washington Bridge would cause cancer in New Jersey children.[115]
Several times, Gottheimer introduced legislation, with either Rep.Jeff Van Drew or Rep.Mike Lawler, to withhold funding to New York'sMetropolitan Transportation Authority unless the pricing scheme introduced exemptions for drivers from New Jersey or from portions of New York City outside Manhattan.[116][113]
In January 2024, Gottheimer produced a study estimating that the congestion pricing plan (as approved by the MTA) would generate $3.4 billion in revenue per year, exceeding New York City's $1 billion target; the study also projected that the plan would still raise about $1.5 billion yearly even if every eligible crossing from New Jersey into Manhattan was excluded. Gottheimer, furthermore, warned that thePort Authority could lose around $83 million in tolls collected per year from a decrease inLincoln andHolland Tunnel crossings. Gottheimer ultimately argued these findings demonstrated that New Jersey crossings ought to be exempted from (what he called) the "congestion tax". John J. McCarthy, the MTA chief of policy and external relations, said of Gottheimer, "here he is again with yet another publicity stunt fighting for the status quo".[117][118]
In April 2024, as the plan was set to begin on June 15, the MTA announced that New Jersey (especiallyBergen andHudson counties) would receive a cut of the funds generated from congestion pricing; Gottheimer rebuked the new measure as insufficient.[119] The following week, Gottheimer visited the MTA headquarters to demand, unsuccessfully, that the agency provide financial documents that justified the congestion pricing fee; joinedRep. Nicole Malliotakis to introduce bipartisan legislation that would block the congestion pricing plan from taking effect; and wrote to theHouse Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, requesting that they arrange a hearing on the MTA's plan andsubpoena MTA CEOJanno Lieber to appear.[120][121][122][123] In May 2024, Gottheimer and Rep.Anthony D’Esposito introduced legislation that, unless the congestion pricing plan was terminated, would bar Lieber from using federal funds to pay for work-related travel by car, which was to be exempt from congestion tolls; Gottheimer described the MTA funding car travel, in light of its support for congestion pricing, as a "for thee and not for me" attitude, saying that "Lieber seems to think he’s above it all."[124]
When New York GovernorKathy Hochul indefinitely paused Manhattan congestion pricing in June 2024, Gottheimer celebrated.[125][126][127] Hochul resumed the implementation in January 2025, leading to a feud with the Trump administration; Gottheimer called the tolls "outrageous".[128]
Gottheimer cosponsored the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act of 2020, voted for theThin Blue Line Act,[129] and supported the Never Forget the Heroes Act.[130]
In January 2022, Gottheimer introduced the Invest to Protect Act, which aimed to provide $200 million in funds over five years to smaller police departments.[131] The spending would be targeted at provisions such as officer safety andde-escalation training,body cameras, recruitment and retention, and mental health resources.[132] Gottheimer led efforts to more quickly bring the bill to a vote (such as trying to package it with a Julyassault weapons ban);CNN linked Gottheimer's push to crime and policing being an election issue and, therefore, vulnerable Democrats hoping to pass police-funding legislation before the2022 midterms.[133] The Invest to Protect Act passed the House in September 2022 but failed to advance further than aunanimous consent passage in the Senate. In May 2023, Gottheimer reintroduced the bill in the118th Congress.[134]
In June 2024, Gottheimer announced an amendment to the package funding theDepartment of Homeland Security through 2025 that would set aside $620 million for additional security at the2026 World Cup games—eight matches of which, including the final, would be held atMetLife Stadium inEast Rutherford. The funds would pay for increased fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel locally and at affected transit facilities.[135][136]
In September 2022, Gottheimer touted that theBipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (which he helped develop and push through Congress) andInflation Reduction Act of 2022 (which he voted for) were "seismic progress" in fightingclimate change. Gottheimer argued that the infrastructure bill funded environmental projects suchcoastal resiliency,ecosystem repairs, andelectric-vehicleinfrastructure, while the Inflation Reduction Act provided "serious long-term investments inalternative energy" and incentives for states, communities, and individuals to "rethink how they approach energy."[137][138]
Seeking to stave off astrike during the2022 railroad labor dispute, Gottheimer, along with 79 House Republicans and all but 8 House Democrats, voted for a measure[139] that forced rail companies and their unions to agree to a tentative agreement reached in September, which included "a 24-percent increase in wages over five years, more schedule flexibility and one additional paid day off".[140] The deal had been rejected by several rail unions because it lackedpaid sick leave.[140]
In December 2023, Gottheimer pushed for bipartisan legislation to fund theFAA so they could hire and train moreair traffic controllers, citing a 3,000-staffer national shortage and only 54% of essential tristate-area positions being filled.[141] To this end, Gottheimer signed a bipartisan letter "demanding" that any bill to fund the FAA must stipulate (and include money for) the hiring of air traffic personnel to capacity, then he introduced it to leaders of theHouse Transportation andSenate Commerce committees. He also sponsored legislation that would begin aGovernment Accountability Office investigation into flight delays atairports in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.[142]
In February 2022, Gottheimer drafted legislation to definedigital currencies asstablecoins if they could be backed one-for-one by U.S. dollars. Later, in July 2023, Gottheimer voted in theHouse Financial Services committee to advance a Republican-led bill that would establish regulations for stablecoins by authorizing theSEC to oversee digital assets while also installing new restrictions on the agency. Gottheimer and five other Democratic committee members approved the bill, bucking Democratic chairwomanMaxine Waters who argued it had loopholes and was "a wish list of Big Crypto."[143][144][145][146][147]
Gottheimer helped push the Republican-ledFinancial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act through the House Financial Services Committee in May 2024; the bill eventually passed in the House later that month. The bill simplified digital currency regulation and was purported to enhance investor protections while encouraging cryptocurrency companies to establish themselves in the United States rather than abroad; in a press release, Gottheimer described the bill as establishing rules to guide entrepreneurs and protect consumers. Later the same week, Gottheimer led a bipartisan group of congresspeople in writing to SEC ChairmanGary Gensler pushing for the approval of spotEthereumETFs, which they argued provided investors with a transparent and regulated entryway into cryptocurrency trading.[148][149][150]
On April 15, 2017, Gottheimer announced that he would be introducing the "Anti-Moocher Bill", under which states receiving more federal dollars than they contribute to the national treasury would pay their "fair share", asking: "Why should Alabama get our federal tax dollars and get a free ride, while we're left holding the bag with higher property taxes? It just doesn't make sense."[151] In October 2017, Gottheimer and Rep.Leonard Lance introduced the Return on Investment Accountability Act, which they wrote would, "...give tax credits to individuals whose states get less funding from the federal government than they pay in aggregate".[152]
In August 2023, Gottheimer proposed a plan that would provide families with tax credits to be used towards the administrative and equipment costs ofyouth sports, as well as creating a federal grant program to invest in recreational youth sports programs and organizations.[153]
Gottheimer is a proponent of restoring the fullState And Local Tax (SALT) deduction, which was capped at $10,000 by the2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.[154]
In January 2018, Gottheimer was the first New Jersey lawmaker to propose that towns establish charitable funds for municipal expenditures that residents could donate to and, thereafter, receive an equal credit on their property tax bills—allowing homeowners to deduct their full property tax expenses ascharitable contributions on federal tax forms.[155][156] The workaround was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy after passing in the state legislature in April 2018, but it was ultimately blocked by an IRS ruling.[157][158]
Gottheimer has made numerous attempts to uncap the SALT deduction, such as last-minute efforts to negotiate its reduction in 2017;[159] attempts to include the deduction's restoration inBuild Back Better legislation circa February 2022;[160] and, beginning in February 2023, leading a bipartisan caucus devoted to the issue.[161]
In February 2024, Gottheimer publicly promoted a bill that would have doubled the SALT deduction cap to $20,000, but, later that week, he abstained from a procedural vote (which failed) that would have brought the bill to the floor; a 'yes' vote would also have allowed consideration of a Republican resolution denouncing theBiden administration's energy policies.[162][163][164]
Gottheimer supported measures to restore theLackawanna Cut-Off[165] and theGateway Tunnel.[166]
In August 2021, Gottheimer led a group of conservative Democrats, dubbed "The Unbreakable Nine", to derail the Biden administration's $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package meant to improve the nation's infrastructure.[167][168] They sought to ensure infrastructure investment by separating $1 trillion in physical infrastructure funding from a $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package that was critical to the Biden Administration'sBuild Back Better agenda.[169] Progressive Democrats preferred that the two be voted on together so that the bundle was more appealing to members of Congress who supported the physical infrastructure investments but would not vote for the social spending on its own.[170] Ultimately, the two packages were voted on separately, with theBipartisan Infrastructure Bill passing[171] and theBuild Back Better Act failing.[172]
In January 2024, Gottheimer campaigned againstelectric car manufacturers excludingAM radio from newly produced vehicles. At a media event near aTesla dealership onRoute 17, Gottheimer was joined by the New Jersey Broadcasters Association director to argue that AM radio is still widely used and necessary in emergency situations; he also warned that, if unregulated, car manufacturers may eventually charge fees for allinfotainment options.[173][174][175]
In March 2024, while touting $1.8 million infederal grants to improve local pedestrian safety acquired as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Gottheimer announced that he would support three acts to address pedestrian safety: the PHASE Act, which "directs theNational Institute of Standards and Technology to come up with new solutions to addressdistracted driving and will implement pedestrian-friendly infrastructure for cities and towns with a new grant program"; the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act, which "works toward giving state and local governments funds for bike and walking paths"; and the Complete Streets Act, which "focuses on more accessible transportation options for children, seniors and people with disabilities...direct[ing] states to find new approaches to pedestrian travel."[176][177]
In April 2024, Gottheimer introduced the Enhancing Transparency from Airlines Act, which would codifyDepartment of Transportation rules that require airlines "to provide direct refunds rather than vouchers following a 'significant diversion' in flights...includ[ing] a three-hour delay for domestic flights and a six-hour delay for international trips," while also "requiring airlines to communicate all fees upfront."[178][179]
Gottheimer has been criticized for inappropriately handling stock trades during his time as a congressman. In August 2022, filings revealed that Gottheimer failed to report an exchange of stocks in his portfolio within the mandated 45-day period;[180] in September 2022, analysis indicated that Gottheimer made, "...trades involving 326 companies and 43 potential conflicts of interest," over a three-year period;[181] and in April 2023, it was shown that Gottheimer sold shares in impacted companies before and during the2023 banking crisis.[182] His team has stated, "Prior to taking office, Josh turned over management of his portfolio to a third party and only receives statements of prior transactions".[183]
In February 2022, Gottheimer pledged to establish ablind trust to manage his assets; however, as of August 2022, he had yet to create one, and as of June 2024, the electronic statement that was cited to substantiate this pledge had been removed from Gottheimer's House website.[184]
In January 2018, Gottheimer was one of six House Democrats who voted with Republicans for a short-term spending bill in an attempt to stave off afederal government shutdown.[185]
In February 2022, with the previous year'scontinuing resolution set to expire on the 18th, Gottheimer was the only Democrat to vote against a stopgap bill to extend funding through March 11; the measure passed. Gottheimer argued, "Stop-gap measures for short-term government funding weaken our military and harm...the ability for our states to plan critical infrastructure projects, and much more," so, since there were "more than 200 hours" before the deadline, Congress should have negotiated towards anomnibus deal "until the last possible minute".[186]
In September 2023, facing the possibility of a shutdown on the 30th, Gottheimer and the rest of theProblem Solvers Caucus endorsed a continuing resolution plan to fund the government until January 2024, which included aid to Ukraine, disaster-relief funds, and enhanced border security. Gottheimer also suggested using adischarge petition if other funding methods failed.[187][188] He later co-headlined aNo Labels-organized virtual "exclusive congressional update" to discuss this “commonsense bipartisan framework” aimed at preventing a government shutdown despite “partisan actors on both sides of the aisle”.[189]
In January 2024, facing another possibility of a shutdown, Gottheimer urged SpeakerMike Johnson to "support a six-week government funding extension to allow time for a longer-term budget deal to be reached".[190] Gottheimer blamed the looming shutdown on "ultra-right extremists", and, on January 18, voted for a successful stopgap bill to fund the government through a deadline in March.[191][192][needs update]
In June 2021, Gottheimer co-sponsored a resolution led by Rep.Mike Gallagher which condemned the Chinese Communist Party forhuman rights violations. The resolution cited instances such as theannexation ofTibet and thetreatment ofUyghurs inXinjiang, concluding that the group "looks forward to the day that the CCP no longer exists."[193]
In September 2021, Gottheimer and Rep.Claudia Teney led a bipartisan group of congresspeople in writing a letter to Secretary of StateAntony Blinken, warning that theChinese-Iranian alliance was antithetical to American national security interests. In particular, they noted that China disregardedinternational sanctions on Iran by importingIranian oil and, according to the group, "bolstered" Iran'sballistic missile program while "complicating" efforts to keep at bay itsnuclear program.[194]
Gottheimer has criticizedTikTok and supportedbanning the platform should it remain under ownership by a Chinese corporation. In March 2023, Gottheimer argued that TikTok posed a national security threat, alleging that TikTok's parent company,ByteDance, provided data from its users to theChinese Communist Party.[195] AfterRep. Jamaal Bowman publicly opposed a potential TikTok ban, Gottheimer remarked that, "Anyone defending TikTok is either too caught up in being a social media celebrity or they’ve been brainwashed by the Chinese government’s propaganda."[196][197] In November 2023, shortly after the start of theGaza war, Gottheimer andRep. Don Bacon, joined byADL leaderJonathan Greenblatt, announced the Stop Hate Act, which aimed to require social media companies to address individuals using their platforms for terroristic purposes; Gottheimer said that, "China is pro-Hamas, so it only makes sense for them to push anti-Israel, anti-American content on TikTok" aimed at young people.[198][199] At the same time, Gottheimer called on theDepartment of Justice to register TikTok as aforeign agent.[200] Later in November 2023, Gottheimer criticized a trend of TikTok videos "sympathizing" withOsama bin Laden and hisreasoning behind orchestrating the9/11 attacks, arguing again that it was Chinese propaganda, and therefore, "TikTok must be banned or sold to an American company."[201] In February 2024, Gottheimer joinedRep. Dan Crenshaw in sending a letter to Secretary of CommerceGina Raimondo requesting that theDepartment of Commerce add ByteDance to its export control list.[202][203] In March 2024, Gottheimer was an original sponsor of (and voted for) a bill that would ban TikTok in the United States unless it was sold to a company that does not operate in aforeign adversary country.[204][205] Gottheimer led a letter co-signed by fiver other House Democrats asking Trump to comply with theTikTok divest-or-ban law and not grant further extensions to it, in June 2025.[206]
Throughout late 2023 and 2024, Gottheimer supported Republican-led, Democrat-led, and bipartisan bills calling foraid toTaiwan and otherIndo-Pacific allies in defense against China and its influence, especially in theSouth China Sea. This aid, however, was always tied tomilitary aid for Israel in itsGaza war and/orUkraine for itsdefense against Russia; in November 2023, Gottheimer supported a bill funding only Israel at the expense of waiting for the opportunity to support all three causes together.[207][208][209]
Gottheimer opposed the 2015Iran nuclear deal (saying he would have voted against it had he been in Congress at the time) and approved of President Trump exiting the agreement in 2018. One of Gottheimer's primary concerns with the deal was that, "...it didn’t address the elephant in the room, which is [Iran's]support for terror."[210][88][211]
In January 2020, in the wake of the Trump administration having ordered a drone strike toassassinateQasem Soleimani, Gottheimer said that the Iranian general had "imminent plans to attack Americans" making it necessary to "act deliberately to contain the threat posed by Iran"; Gottheimer later reiterated that "I know what I believe: We killed a terrorist," and "we were responding to years of action by Iran." At the same time, Gottheimer expressed his support for President Trump intensifying economic sanctions against Iran.[212] Later in the month, Gottheimer was one of eight House Democrats to vote against awar powers resolution that, in reaction to the assassination, emphasized the president's responsibility to consult Congress before engaging in military hostilities.[213]
Throughout 2022, Gottheimer opposed the Biden administration as it attempted to reenter a nuclear agreement withIran. In March, when the measure was brought up in diplomatic talks, Gottheimer said it would "make zero sense" to remove theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from theState Department's list ofdesignated foreign terrorist organizations, arguing it would further enable Iran to fund terrorism through its proxies.[214] In April, Gottheimer led a group of 18 House Democrats expressing concerns about delisting the IRGC and protesting Russia’s involvement as a mediator in the negotiations.[215] In August, Gottheimer led a group of lawmakers in denouncing a proposal that would reflect the 2015 deal, arguing that "Iran, the world’s leadingstate sponsor of terror...can’t be trusted," and that, under such a framework, Iran would be "strengthened with an estimated one trillion dollars insanctions relief over a decade".[216][217]
In October 2023, following the outbreak of theGaza war, Gottheimer led a group of lawmakers in demanding that Iran “be held fully accountable for its continued role infunding Hamas andIslamic terror,” and urging "the administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources."[218]
Gottheimer has said that, "Our relationship withIsrael is a vital relationship"[219] and "Israel [is] our most vital ally in the Middle East".[220] Gottheimer has stated that the security of the United States and of Israel are so intertwined as to be inseparable and that his Jewish values that have guided him throughout his life.[6] Gottheimer has opposed conditions on aid to Israel, stating, "I’ve worked personally against and successfully killed attempts to condition aid [to Israel]...I’ll continue to work to kill conditions on aid [to the sole] democracy in the region and a critical ally".[221]
In February 2017, Gottheimer stated that theUnited States embassy in Israel should be moved fromTel Aviv toJerusalem, but that the move "should be left up to conversations between [Israeli and Palestinian] governments."[222]
In March 2023, Gottheimer reaffirmed his pledge to "support Israel’s security, grow theAbraham Accords, support atwo-state solution and counter threats to Israel and the U.S." At the same time, Gottheimer urged members of Congress to refrain from voicing their concerns over proposed judicial reforms in Israel.[223]
In April 2023, Gottheimer made two official trips to Israel within one week—once as a part of a 12-member delegation of House Democrats, including Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries, and once as one of five Democrats to join SpeakerKevin McCarthy on a bipartisan visit.[224] During the same month, Gottheimer co-sponsored legislation reaffirming the House’s support for military aid to Israel.
In May 2023, Gottheimer and Rep.Mike Lawler introduced legislation expanding anti-boycott laws to include blockingboycotts organized byinternational governmental organizations, with the intended effect of stopping theBoycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement in the United States.[225] The legislation would prohibit American citizens and companies from supporting boycotts imposed by global entities (IGOs) against U.S. allies including Israel. The bill faced heavy criticism fromHouse Republicans andconservatives who said it would violate Americans'First Amendment rights; House Republican leadership scrapped a vote on the bill in May 2025.[226][227][228][229]
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Following theOctober 7 attacks and the outbreak of theGaza war, Gottheimer condemned Reps.Rashida Tlaib andCori Bush'scriticism of Israel, stating, "It sickens me that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members shot in their homes...[Bush and Tlaib] believe Congress should strip U.S. funding...and allow innocent civilians to suffer."[230][231] On November 7, 2023, Gottheimer voted tocensure Tlaib for "promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack" and her use of the slogan "from the river to the sea".[232][233]
On October 10, 2023, Gottheimer sponsored the "Operation Swords of Iron"Iron Dome Appropriations Act.[234][235]
On October 16, 2023, Gottheimer (along with Reps.Don Bacon,Jared Moskowitz, andClaudia Tenney) led a group of 63 Democrats and 50 Republicans in drafting a letter to President Biden, in which they, "...ask[ed] him to boost Israel’s security, holdIran accountable forits role in funding Hamas...and put pressure on nations who support Hamas, includingQatar andTürkiye...[as well as] thanked the President for his unwavering support for the State of Israel [and] reaffirmed their commitment to increasing American security assistance".[236][237]
On October 25, 2023, Gottheimer voted for a House resolution declaring solidarity with Israel and condemning Hamas.[238][239] After the vote, Gottheimer criticized 15 colleagues including Rep.Andre Carson who voted in the minority, describing them as "despicable" and unrepresentative of the party; Carson responded by calling Gottheimer "cowardly" and "not acting in the role as a member of Congress".CNN described the Gottheimer–Carson scuttle as a microcosm of the broader divisions within the Democratic Party over Israel.[240][241]
On November 2, 2023, Gottheimer was one of 12 House Democrats to vote for a $14.3 billion aid package to Israel that was funded by cutting theIRS' budget. Though Gottheimer disapproved of reducingfunds for countering tax fraud, he viewed passing the aid and displaying support for Israel as paramount.[242] On the same night, the House passed the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act (which Gottheimer cosponsored in January) that "would require the president to [report] on foreign entities that...assist Hamas orPIJ and...[to sanction] those entities, including [by] suspending U.S. assistance, seizing property...and denying exports".[243]
On November 18, 2023, Gottheimer denounced Sen.Bernie Sanders' proposal that the U.S. condition military assistance to Israel on "a fundamental change in [Israel's] military and political positions," saying that, "Conditioning aid to Israel will...help Hamas in their goal of completely annihilating Israel and the Jewish people," therefore, "Any legislation that conditions security aid to our key democratic ally, Israel, is a nonstarter and will lose scores of votes."[244][245][246]
In December 2023, Gottheimer led an officialHouse Intelligence Committee trip to Israel, during which he and other congresspeople met withPrime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, thedirector ofMossad, and other Israeli officials regarding the Gaza war. According to a statement by Gottheimer and his remarks at a virtual press conference, these meetings included discussions overQatar'srole as a negotiator,Houthiattacks on commercial vessels,sexual and gender-based violence in the October 7 attacks, the importance of avoidingcivilian casualties, planning for Gaza's future after the war, and aderadicalization campaign in Palestine.[247][248][249]
In January 2024, following Israel's claim thatUNRWA officialscontributed to Hamas' October 7 attack, theU.S. State Department suspended future 2024 payments to the agency. After the incident, Gottheimer argued that UNRWA is "flawed to the core" due to "systemic issues," saying the U.S. was justified in pulling funding because "it’s time for UNRWA to disappear."[250] Gottheimer went on to, in April 2024, rally congresspeople to include a ban on supporting UNWRA's Gaza efforts in legislation funding the State Department through 2025; the letter Gottheimer circulated amongst colleagues also proposed ending U.S. support for any international organization whose conduct constitutesantisemitism under acontroversial definition crafted by theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Association.[251] In May 2024, Gottheimer and Rep.Brian Mast introduced legislation aimed to recover the $121 million sent to UNWRA just prior to US funding being suspended.[252]
On March 26, 2024, Gottheimer joined Sen.John Fetterman to denounce the Biden Administration's decision to, by abstaining, allow aU.N. Security Councilresolution that, "demands an immediate ceasefire for the month ofRamadan respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire, and also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," to pass.[253][254] Gottheimer later expounded that he believed the resolution was indicative of how, "The international community has long unfairly scrutinized and ostracizedIsrael at the U.N.," before adding, "Israel has the right to defend herself from existential threats".[255]
On April 5, 2024, Gottheimer returned from a trip to the Middle East where he met with Egyptian and Qatari officials who were negotiating the Gaza war. He reported being "hopeful that a temporary pause is within reach," urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to "empower" his negotiators to allow increased humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. He also decried news that Hamas had rejected certain "nonstarters" such as "full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, a permanent cease-fire, the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and...the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails."[256]
On April 14, 2024, followingIran having launched airstrikes against Israel, Gottheimer andRep. Joe Wilson led a bipartisan group of 89 House members in writing to SpeakerMike Johnson, urging him to immediately bring the Senate-passed Supplemental Aid package (which included military funds for Israel) to the floor for a vote. The group argued, "This weekend, the Iranian regime [having] launched hundreds ofdrones,cruise missiles, andballistic missiles directly against our key, democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel," means that, "Time is of the essence, and we must ensure critical aid is delivered to Israel and our other democratic allies facing threats from our adversaries around the world."[257]
On May 10, 2024, Gottheimer led a group of 26 House Democrats in writing toNational Security AdvisorJake Sullivan to criticize the Biden administration having "paused transfers of ammunition and 500-pound and 2000-pound bombs" in opposition toIsrael's invasion of Rafah.[258][259][260][261] Later, on May 16, Gottheimer was one of 16 House Democrats to join Republicans in passing the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which would compel the Biden administration to reverse the pause by partially defunding theState Department,Defense Department, andExecutive Office of the President unless the cancelled weapons shipments were resumed.[262][263][264]
On May 30, 2024, Gottheimer led a group of 19 House Democrats in writing toSecretary ofStateAntony Blinken andTreasurySecretaryJanet Yellen in support of sanctioningICC officials, specifically mentioningChief Prosecutor Karim Khan. The letter was in response to the Biden administration declining to impose sanctions against the ICC for applying forarrest warrants against Israeli leaders forwar crimes (and against three Hamas leaders for terrorism). The letter argued for sanctions due to signatories' belief that, "The charges against Israeli leaders are baseless [and] reflect the ICC’s well-documented historical bias against Israel."[265][266][267]
In June 2024, Gottheimer spoke out againstthe Maldives having announced plans to banIsraeli passport holders from entering the country—the nation's response to Israel's role in the ongoing Gaza conflict. Gottheimer called the ban "a blatant act of Jew hatred" and said "They shouldn't get a cent of American dollars until they reverse course," prompting him to develop legislation called the Protecting Allied Travel Here (PATH) Act that would condition U.S. aid to the Maldives on allowing Israeli passport holders into the country.[268][269][270]
On July 3, 2024, Gottheimer met withBenjamin Netanyahu,IDF Chief of StaffHerzi Halevi, andTzachi Hanegbi, the director of Israel'snational security council, at the Israeli prime minister's office in Jerusalem. After the meeting, Netanyahu thanked Gottheimer "for his consistent support of Israel, as well as for the American support for Israel since the start of the war."[271][272]
In June 2024, Gottheimer, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, and three Republicans introduced an amendment to the State Department’s funding bill barring the Biden administration from citing Gaza Health Ministry death tolls. The House passed it 269–144, with support from 62 Democrats and all but two Republicans. The Gaza Health Ministry, long cited by U.S., Israeli officials, and media, is the only official source for death data in Gaza.[273]
Gottheimer said that he thought President Donald Trump acted appropriately in strikingSyria in response to the 2018 use of chemical weapons by theSyrian government. "There's room the president has to deal with a crisis, and I believed, if you looked at the heinous crimes and atrocities committed, poisoning your own children, that demanded a response, and I'm glad he responded."[87]
Gottheimer and Rep.Brian Fitzpatrick introduced House legislation to support Sen.Joe Manchin's initiative to close American ports to Russian oil, natural gas, and coal products.[274]
In October 2023, Gottheimer backed Sen.Lindsey Graham's bill to simultaneously fundUkraine military assistance (which had, after debate, previously been excluded from the September 2023continuing resolution to fund the US government) and increased domestic border security. When speaking on the bill, Gottheimer claimed it was necessary to "support Ukraine to make sure we stand up toPutin and to China and Iran, which is critical to our national security and to our allies". Lawmakers were not able to pass Graham's package (or any other Ukraine/border funding bill) before Congress ended its session in December 2023.[102][103][104]
In February 2024, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick introduced the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act, which had three Republican and three Democratic co-sponsors from the Problem Solvers Caucus. The bill included $47.7 billion in aid to Ukraine, $10.4 billion for Israel, and $4.9 billion for allies in theIndo-Pacific in aneffort to combat China. Gottheimer, at first, did not support Fitzpatrick's bill, but later co-sponsored it after introducing a humanitarian aid package.[275][276]
In June 2021, Gottheimer joined Reps.Hakeem Jeffries andTerri Sewell to launch the Team BluePAC, which aimed to defend incumbent Democrats against primary challenges.[277] In February 2022, Team Blue's first slate of endorsements backed moderate incumbents against progressive challengers. Left-wing groups likeJustice Democrats claimed the PAC's intentions were to quash progressivism in "deep-blue" districts, while Gottheimer said, "We want to support common-sense members who are delivering for their districts."[278]
In September 2023, Gottheimer defended New Jersey'scounty line system, under which candidates supported by county-level party organizations had their names advantageously placed on primary ballots in that county. Gottheimer said, "It gives rank and file Democrats at the local level a strong voice in selecting their best candidates."[279] In June 2024, after a judge ordered that the Democratic Party could not use county line ballots for New Jersey's 2024 primaries (and as the system faced further judication), Gottheimer conceded, "I'm going to respect where it comes out in the courts."[280]
In June 2024, Gottheimer was the first Democratic congressperson to endorse incumbentRep. Jamaal Bowman's opponent,George Latimer, in the hotly-contested Democratic primary that was defined in large part by Bowman's criticism of Israel during theGaza war.[281][282][283][284]
On July 9, 2024, after Joe Biden'swidely-criticized debate performance in late June, Gottheimer said "it’s up to [Biden] what he wants to do."[285] On July 21, Biden announcedhis departure from the race, prompting Gottheimer to say "it's time to move forward, united in our shared goals."[286][287][288] The next day, Gottheimer followed a wave of Democrats in supporting Vice PresidentKamala Harris, whom Biden had endorsed, to be theDemocratic nominee.[289]
Gottheimer was ranked the eighth most bipartisan member of the House for 2017 by the Bipartisan Index, a metric published byThe Lugar Center andGeorgetown'sMcCourt School of Public Policy.[290][291] For 2020, 2021, and 2022, Gottheimer was ranked the most bipartisan Democrat in the House — placing second overall behindRep. Brian Fitzpatrick for 2022.[292]
Gottheimer is the Democratic co-chair of the bipartisanProblem Solvers Caucus.[49] Gottheimer has pointed to his work with the Problem Solvers Caucus as proof that he is not "ideologically rigid." He has also said that members of Congress "are more bipartisan than people think."[87] In October 2023, reports noted fractures emerging amongst the Problem Solvers: Republican caucus leadership made a bipartisan appeal urging members tovote to retainKevin McCarthy as Speaker, but every Democrat ultimately voted to remove him; Gottheimer called the incident "an emotional day" for the caucus.[293] Furthermore, in March 2024,Politico reported that some members of the caucus questioned Gottheimer's bipartisan credentials, writing, "one data point is particularly irksome to Republicans in the group: Fitzpatrick [the Republican co-chair], a purple-district lawmaker, has bucked his party far more often this Congress than Gottheimer, who now represents a safe seat."[105]
Since being elected, Gottheimer has worked with theNo Labels organization, with founderNancy Jacobson saying, "we put Congressman Gottheimer in there"; though the caucus was announced in 2014, it was launched in 2017 with Gottheimer, upon just having taken office, becoming its first (and thus far only) Democratic co-chair. In September 2023, Gottheimer co-headlined a No-Labels-organized event despite having, recently before, denounced the group's intentions of putting up a third-party presidential candidate in 2024. According to The Intercept, "Wealthy executives and investors have funneled hundreds of thousands through No Labels’s Problem Solvers PAC to members of the caucus," including Gottheimer.[189]
In February 2024, "hardline" House Republicans floated removing SpeakerMike Johnson after he agreed to a spending deal with Senate Democrats; Gottheimer, meanwhile, aimed to give Johnson "room to put bipartisan legislation on the floor" by authoring a resolution that, "...would require party leadership or a majority of either party's caucus to sanction any vote to vacate the speaker's chair," (as opposed to the contemporaneous rule that any single member could force a vote on removal) and which was contingent on Johnson holding a vote on a defense spending package including aid to Israel and Ukraine.[294][295]
Gottheimer, after the senator endorsed him in the 2020 Democratic primary, proclaimed that, "New Jersey is incredibly fortunate to haveBob Menendez in the Senate...He’s a real champion for our families and I’m honored and grateful to have his support.”[296]
In September 2023 (the day after the senator was charged with taking bribes and providing sensitive information to the Egyptian government),[297] Gottheimer called on Menendez to resign, writing, "For the good of the state, he should step aside as he focuses on his defense”.[298]
Following Menendez's 2023 indictment, there was some speculation Gottheimer might run for the Senate seat.[299][300][301] However, in November, Gottheimer endorsedTammy Murphy in the 2024 Democratic primary for the seat.[302] When Murphy dropped out of the race in March 2024, Gottheimer switched to endorseRep. Andy Kim.[303]
In 2017, Gottheimer called for an independent commission to probe alleged ties between Donald Trump and Russia.[87]
On the possibility of impeaching Trump over theUkraine scandal, in September 2019 Gottheimer said, "We need to make sure this is fact-driven and evidence-based. You can't prejudge something that is so solemn and obviously could have a big historical impact on our country, and you need to keep the country together."[304]
Gottheimer voted to impeach Trump during both hisfirst impeachment[305] and hissecond impeachment.[306]
Gottheimer was one of eight Democrats to vote against a resolution that wouldcurtail Trump's war powers following theassassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.[307]
When asked during a 2020 primary election forum in what ways he supported Trump, Gottheimer answered that, "He’s good on the relationship withU.S.-Israel. Although I don’t agree with everything that...Netanyahu does or says, I think it’s a very important relationship to the United States".[308]
Gottheimer has confronted fellow Democratic representatives over their comments and stances that he has considered antisemitic: In March 2019, Gottheimer was involved in drafting a House resolution to condemn the "myth ofdual loyalty" afterIlhan Omar had accused certain supporters of Israel of having "allegiance to a foreign country";[309] in February 2023, Gottheimer "convinced" Omar to sign a resolution (which he authored) that condemnedantisemitism before she was removed from theForeign Affairs Committee due to her past comments pertaining to Israel;[310] and in July 2023, Gottheimer co-wrote a statement denouncing as "unacceptable"Pramila Jayapal having remarked that Israel is a "racist state"[311]'
In January 2020, Gottheimer spoke out against a "massive wave ofanti-Semitism on college campuses" as well as touted his efforts to fund theNonprofit Security Grant Program and secure related grants for New Jersey religious institutions.[212] In May 2024, Gottheimer announced he had helped secure $4.8 million in federal grants to "invest in physical protections, training and security technology" for 34 "synagogues, mosques, churches, religious schools and community centers" across his district.[312]
In September 2023, Gottheimer called on the University of Pennsylvania to disinviteRoger Waters andMarc Lamont Hill as speakers at the school's Palestine Writes Literature Festival. Due to accusations ofantisemitism and Waters' criticisms ofIsrael, Gottheimer claimed the musician would be given, "abully pulpit" and that, "antisemitism and anti-Israel advocates [would be] given a platform to spew hate".In the same letter, Gottheimer asked forPrinceton University to reconsider its use ofJasbir Puar's textThe Right to Maim in classes ondecolonial studies, calling the text "offensive, antisemiticblood libel [...] containing antisemitic tropes and anti-Israel sentiment". Both universities responded by denying Gottheimer's requests and citingacademic freedom:Christopher L. Eisgruber, Princeton's president, stated, "all students can thrive here, but not by censoring our curriculum," whileM. Elizabeth Magill, Penn's president, said, "[we] fiercely support [...] the expression of views that are controversial and even those that are incompatible with our institutional values".[313]
On December 4, 2023, Gottheimer wrote to thepresident ofRutgers University, asking that the school cancel a seminar withNoura Erakat,Nick Estes, and Marc Lamont Hill, advertised as being about the interrelation of theGaza war withsettler colonialism andanti-Blackness, due to the congressman's belief that Estes and Lamont Hill were "well-known antisemites" and the seminar would "promotehate speech and exacerbate the potential for violence and attacks toward Rutgers’ Jewish students". Rutgers declined to cancel the event citingacademic freedom. Media connected Gottheimer's back-and-forth with Rutgers to the broader developments on college campuses following theOctober 7 attacks.[314][315][316]
After the presidents ofHarvard,University of Pennsylvania, andMassachusetts Institute of Technology were interrogated at the December 52023 United States Congress hearing on antisemitism, Gottheimer called for the aforementioned university presidents to resign over the statements they made, saying that "when directly asked [...] if calling for genocide of Jews violated their school's code of conduct [...the presidents] couldn't deliver a simple yes or no answer".[317]Also in December 2023, Gottheimer was one of 95 Democrats to vote for a resolution that "clearly and firmly states thatanti-Zionism is antisemitism."[318][319]
In January 2024, Gottheimer condemned theTeaneckschool district for partnering with a local chapter of theCouncil on American-Islamic Relations (who it enlisted alongside theAnti-Defamation League andFacing History & Ourselves) as part of its "Togetherness and Belonging" program. Gottheimer called it "outrageous and unacceptable", taking umbrage at previous remarks by CAIR's national directorNihad Awad about the Gaza war. A spokesperson for CAIR-NJ responded that "We have consistently made clear that our critique is of Israel as a nation state and not of Jews".[320] In February 2024, Teaneck High School students organized a march and protest to support aceasefire in Gaza, which Gottheimer condemned as, "...an antisemitic, anti-Israel protest during school hours."[321]
In February 2024, a sticker with the design of thePalestinian flag reading that read "BoycottIsraeli Apartheid" was found affixed to a poster featuring asince-freed hostage fromHamas'October 7 attack on Israel, which was displayed outside Gottheimer's Capitol Hill office. Gottheimer described the incident as, "nothing less than a blatant act of antisemitism and hate," and said, "I refuse to be silent in the face of this horrific behavior, which only serves to perpetuate and amplify the skyrocketing levels of antisemitism across our nation."[322][323] In March 2024, Gottheimer reported a second, similar instance concerning a poster outside his office; he called the incident "truly deprived and heinous."[324]
In April 2024, Gottheimer and fellow Jewish lawmakers Reps.Dan Goldman,Jared Moskowitz, andKathy Manning visitedColumbia University and held a press conference at the school's Center for Jewish Life. The visit came on the sixth day ofheightened pro-Palestinian student protests at Columbia, following, the week before, Columbia'spresident and other administrators having testified before congress regarding increased antisemitism on campus. At the press conference, the lawmakers condemned the demonstrations as antisemitic and dangerous, with Gottheimer reaffirming that "We will do everything in our power to keep you safe and do everything in Washington [D.C.] we can to make sure that you feel welcome at this university", before warning that, "Columbia University, if they don’t follow through, will pay the price."[325][326] Later that month, Gottheimer and Rep. Dan Goldman led a group of 21 House Democrats in writing to Columbia'sboard of trustees, expressing disappointment that Columbia University had not yet disbanded the encampment, exhorting unwilling trustees to resign, and arguing that the encampments constituted "an apparent violation of Title VI of theCivil Rights Act."[327][328][329] In May 2024, following similar encampments atRutgers University having disbanded upon the administration conceding to eight of the protester's ten demands, Gottheimer andRep. Donald Norcross sent a letter to Rutgers presidentJonathan Holloway, claiming Rutgers "appeased the demands of violent and hateful agitators".[330][331]
In May 2024, theAntisemitism Awareness Act, which Gottheimer co-authored, passed 320-91 in the House. The bill, in response topro-Palestine protests at American universities, would stipulate that theEducation Department use theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism when applyingfederal anti-discrimination laws, such as during Title VI proceedings: the bill would lower the threshold for student civil rights complaints alleging antisemitism and threaten with civil rights enforcement universities that do not protect students according to the new standards.[332] Speaking on the House floor before the vote, Gottheimer linked the bill to protests at Columbia University and claimed, "This bill is a critical step we can take to stand against hate."[333] The next day, responding to criticisms that the bill would infringe upon free speech rights, Gottheimer said: "You should, of course, protect free speech in this great country...[but] harassing and intimidating and discrimination...[and] Hate shouldn't be allowed on our college campuses."[334]
In 2025, Gottheimer voted for a resolution entitled "Honoring the life and legacy of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk".[335]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joshua S. Gottheimer | 43,250 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 43,250 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer | 172,587 | 51.1 | |
| Republican | Scott Garrett (incumbent) | 157,690 | 46.7 | |
| Libertarian | Claudio Belusic | 7,424 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 337,701 | 100.0 | ||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 169,546 | 56.2 | |
| Republican | John J. McCann | 128,255 | 42.5 | |
| Libertarian | James Tosone | 2,115 | 0.7 | |
| Independent | Wendy Goetz | 1,907 | 0.6 | |
| Total votes | 301,823 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 52,406 | 66.5 | |
| Democratic | Arati Kreibich | 26,418 | 33.5 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 225,175 | 53.2 | |
| Republican | Frank Pallotta | 193,333 | 45.6 | |
| Independent | Louis Vellucci | 5,128 | 1.2 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 145,559 | 54.7 | |
| Republican | Frank Pallotta | 117,873 | 44.3 | |
| Libertarian | Jeremy Marcus | 1,193 | 0.5 | |
| Independent | Trevor Ferrigno | 700 | 0.3 | |
| Independent | Louis Vellucci | 618 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 265,943 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Josh Gottheimer (incumbent) | 208,359 | 54.6 | |
| Republican | Mary Jo-Ann Guinchard | 165,287 | 43.3 | |
| Green | Beau Forte | 3,428 | 0.9 | |
| Libertarian | James Tosone | 2,540 | 0.6 | |
| Independent | Amir Aarif | 2,375 | 0.6 | |
| Total votes | 381,889 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Gottheimer is the editor ofRipples of Hope (2003), a collection of American civil-rights speeches. The text of one of the speeches included in the book, which was delivered byMartin Luther King Jr. in Selma on January 25, 1965, was previously unpublished. Gottheimer acquired the text from an Alabama police consultant who had transcribed it from FBI surveillance tapes.[342]
Despite not working on any of the Obama campaigns, Gottheimer also co-authoredPower of Words (2011) withMary Frances Berry, a book about Barack Obama's speeches.[343]Power of Words sold poorly, with less than 1,000 copies purchased across all formats, and was upsetting to former Obama campaign staffers, given Gottheimer's position and actions in the 2008 Clinton campaign.[344]
Gottheimer is a native ofNorth Caldwell, and he currently resides inTenafly.[345] He isJewish and a member of theAlpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.[7] He married Marla Tusk in 2006.[3] They have two children.[7]
A New Jersey Republican who sits on top of the national Democratic target list for 2024 has set a fundraising record for the most money raised by a freshman Member of Congress in their first three months in office in state history. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) raised a mammoth $831,000 during the first quarter of 2023 and has $735,745 cash-on-hand as he prepares to seek re-election to a second term as the congressman from New Jersey's 7th district. Kean's massive fundraising haul tops the $752,000 raised by the Human Fundraising Machine, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff), during the first three months of his congressional career
Although not a challenger, freshman Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who flipped a Republican seat in 2016, raised $1.5 million in the 5th District
Kreibich, 45, and her allies have hammered Gottheimer over his voting record, questioning his partisan credentials and labeling him 'Trump's favorite Democrat.'...[Gottheimer said] ...'And I'll be honest, if Bernie Sanders, socialized medicine and extremism are more of your view, then my opponent is probably your candidate'
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) has a Smaugesque $14,002,994 cash-on-hand of as he seeks re-election to a fourth term in Congress in New Jersey's 5th district.
He voted for three recent bills passed by the House meant to protect women's right to abortion and contraception.
This bill also included Gottheimer's bipartisan legislation, the Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act, to prohibit credit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Gottheimer and Kreibich, both 45, claim numerous differences. She supports Medicare For All and the Green New Deal, while he opposes them.
'Medicare for All' typically refers to a single-payer health care program in which all Americans are covered by a more generous version of Medicare...that would replace all other existing public and private plans
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) introduced a new bill, the Securing Access to Fertility Everywhere (SAFE) Act, which would shield medical practitioners from wrongful death liability when transporting embryonic cells. "What Alabama is doing, what many states are doing – what extremists in Congress, unfortunately, are doing – is conducting a war on women's healthcare, and a war on women's reproductive freedom," Gottheimer said in a statement. "Today, with new legislation in Congress, we are making one thing clear to them: not so fast. We will protect reproductive freedom. We will protect IVF. We will protect moms and dads and modern medicine and health care."
The House reluctantly passed $4.6 billion in emergency funds for the humanitarian crisis at the southern U.S. border on Thursday after a tense, week-long battle with the Senate over restrictions and proposals Democrats said would better the care of migrants, including children, in detention facilities.
Immigrant advocates have characterized passage of the bill as a "cave" by Democrats, who won control of the House in November but remain outnumbered in the Senate. They noted that the bill gives $280 million to ICE and more than $1 billion to Customs and Border Protection.
The vote — 305-102, with 95 Democrats voting in opposition — will send the funding bill to the White House for President Donald Trump's signature.
Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat, has for years been one of New Jersey's leading opponents of congestion pricing. He has in past arguments depicted New York as trying to balance its budget on the backs of New Jersey drivers and focused on traffic models that show the tolls could mean slightly more car and truck traffic in his Bergen County district...Mr. Gottheimer [is] the congressman who accused Mr. Lieber of giving children cancer by increasing car emissions near the George Washington Bridge
Gottheimer flaggedEditSign for the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Commerce leadership a bipartisan letterEditSign he signed earlier this month, which demanded that any FAA funding bill passed by Congress include hiring the maximum number of air traffic controllers. The congressman is also sponsoring legislation that would require a GAO study of flight delays at Tri-State Area airports in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
The plan, outlined in Fair Lawn by Gov.-elect Phil Murphy and Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Bill Pascrell, calls for municipalities to set up charitable funds and then give homeowners credits on their property tax bills for what they donate.
Republican Rep. Leonard Lance and Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer announced they're putting forward a proposal to the House conference committee to save the state and local tax deduction, or SALT, in its entirety, which under the bill would be reduced to $10,000
Moderate Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Tom Suozzi are holding out hope that the party can pass a version of the Build Back Better bill that includes language to raise the deduction cap on state and local taxes (SALT) by the end of the year
Gottheimer and his wife exchanged up to $15,000 of stock in Independent Bank Corp. in November 2021, but waited until August 2022 to report it, according to a financial disclosure he filed August 13
Among Democrats, profiled lawmakers range from conservative Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey (trades involving 326 companies and 43 potential conflicts of interest)
Josh Gottheimer...a member of the financial services committee since 2019, disclosed the sale of shares in the California bank made on March 9...SVB collapsed the next day, sending US banking stocks into a massive downward spiral. He also reported sales made on March 6 and March 14 of shares in Charles Schwab...Schwab's stock is down nearly 30 per cent since March 7. Gottheimer also reported the March 29 sale of a position in Seacoast Banking, a Florida bank caught up in the upheaval, whose share price has fallen a further 10 per cent since the sale.
In February, Gottheimer said he would go further and establish a blind trust for his assets...At present, Gottheimer has not formally established one, according to House records.
Amid public criticism by some Democratic lawmakers about Israel's proposed judicial reforms, moderate Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) are urging legislators against airing their concerns on the ongoing process...The lawmakers pledge that they will continue to "advocate for policies" that support Israel's security, grow the Abraham Accords, support a two-state solution and counter threats to Israel and the U.S.
"[Gottheimer] had just returned from a high-profile trip with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to celebrate Israel's Independence Day. On Sunday, he was back in Jerusalem joining a congressional delegation headed by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy....Gottheimer participated in meetings that the 12-member Democratic delegation had with Israel's top leaders, attended Israel's Memorial Day events and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem...[he also] decided to join McCarthy's delegation, along with five other Democrats, to add a bipartisan tone to the trip
Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are set to introduce legislation on Friday expanding U.S. anti-boycott laws to block U.S. companies and persons from participating in boycotts of U.S. allies by international governmental organizations, Jewish Insider has learned. Existing U.S. law bars U.S. companies and individuals from participating in boycotts of countries "friendly to the United States" organized by foreign countries or providing information that could facilitate those boycotts. It also requires them to report to the U.S. government when they are asked to comply with such boycotts. The new legislationEditSign will modify the law to encompass boycotts organized by international governmental organizations (IGOs), such as the United Nations and European Union. Although not specifically mentioned in the bill's text, Lawler and Gottheimer said in statements that the change comes in response to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The resolution, which began circulating to members Monday night, comes after a backlash from top Democrats who accused Omar of anti-Semitism for referring to pro-Israel advocates' "allegiance to a foreign country."...it condemns the "myth of dual loyalty,"...Aides for House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) along with Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and fellow Minnesota freshman Rep. Dean Phillips are also involved, according to multiple sources
In February, Gottheimer managed to convince Rep. Ilhan Omar, a progressive Democrat who was removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for her sharp criticism of Israel and for past comments that were perceived as antisemitic, to co-sponsor a resolution that recognizes Israel 'as America's legitimate and democratic ally' and that condemns antisemitism. "I think that was an important step," he said. "These things don't always happen overnight." Gottheimer said he's continuing to add more co-sponsors before bringing it to the floor for a vote.
Anti-Israel voices boost antisemitism and cannot be allowed in the Democratic Party, Jewish Democrats in the US House of Representatives said after Rep. Pramila Jayapal called Israel a 'racist' state. The members of Congress called Jayapal's remark 'unacceptable'...The statement, which has yet to be released, was authored by Reps. Josh Gottheimer...
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| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's 5th congressional district 2017–present | Incumbent |
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| Preceded by | Democratic Co-Chair of theProblem Solvers Caucus 2017–2025 Served alongside:Tom Reed,Brian Fitzpatrick | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 169th | Succeeded by |
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