National Democrats added U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s South Jersey district on Friday to a list of their target races to flip, signaling they’re taking Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock’s candidacy more seriously than before.
Van Drew has comfortably warded off challengers in recent years. He was first elected as a Democrat in 2018, but then declared his loyalty to President Donald Trump and switched parties a year later.
The designation was a long time coming for Mullock, as mail ballots have already begun to come in 32 days before the Nov. 3 election.
Still, it came as a surprise to him. He learned on Friday he made the cut at the same time everyone else did, through social media, he said.
“We may be purplish-red, but you know, we are not a just ‘go with whatever the president says’ kind of district,” Mullock said in a phone call. “We voted for Obama twice. We voted for Jeff Van Drew as a Democrat.”
Local Democrats have been optimistic that Mullock is their best shot yet at ousting Van Drew, but the race had flown under the national radar. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the party’s main campaign arm in House races, had excluded the district from its “2026 Districts in Play” map until Friday morning.
The announcement likely indicates that the national committee will send resources to Mullock’s campaign, such as staff support, but it does not come with the funding that the most competitive “Red to Blue” seats get.
Still, it serves as a nudge to donors to take the race seriously.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew speaks next to President Donald Trump at a Keep America Great campaign rally in Wildwood, NJ on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020.HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Van Drew’s district was one of eight districts across the country added to the battleground list, showing that Democrats see a blue wave as increasingly likely as Trump’s popularity suffers amid the Iran war and inflation.
National Democrats are now targeting a total of 66 House races, which they say is nearly double as many as in 2024 when Republicans maintained control of the chamber.
Van Drew’s campaign spokesperson Ron Filan, in a statement, said Democrats make the race seem competitive every cycle as a “fundraising ploy,” and that Van Drew “proves them wrong” each time.
“We predicted back in June they would follow this same playbook and appreciate them proving us right,” Filan said. “The DCCC has about a third of House Republicans on one of their silly wish lists or another.”
Van Drew has been thrusting out attack ads as Mullock campaigns across the district, showing that he sees the local mayor as a threat. Filan noted that Van Drew “doesn’t take anything for granted and will continue to campaign as hard as he always has.”
Previously, the only seat in the Garden State on the DCCC’s battleground list was U.S. Rep. Tom Kean’s 7th District in Central Jersey, which is still the only oneon the “Red to Blue” list. Kean, who was absent from Congress for months without explanation until he revealed it was for depression, is viewed as highly vulnerable as Democrat Rebecca Bennett tries to oust him.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the 7th District as leaning toward Democrats, but Van Drew’s “solidly Republican” seat will be a more difficult challenge to flip.
The Cape May lawmaker’s closest challenge was in 2020 from Amy Kennedy, who still fell nearly 6 points behind him. He was reelected in 2022 by 19 points and in 2024 by 17 points.
National Republicans cite a double-digit win for Trump in the district in 2024, but Democrats note Gov. Mikie Sherrill came within single digits of her Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli in the district last year as she reversed red shifts in the state while consistently attacking Trump.
Mullock said he thinks constituents are becoming disillusioned about Van Drew’s support of Trump.
“I think people are realizing what I realized … I thought Jeff was a moderate Democrat that became a moderate Republican, and that is just not what he has become,” the Democrat said.
The 2nd Congressional District spans several South Jersey counties, extending from the Jersey Shore to rural farmland and the Philadelphia suburbs.
DCCC chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement that voters will send Van Drew “packing” because he “prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthiest few while gutting healthcare and raising costs for his constituents.”
The National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), meanwhile, is focused on defending Kean’s district, the only Jersey seat on its “Patriots” list.
NRCC spokesperson Maureen O’Toole said in a statement that “Democrats are living in a fantasy.”
“New Jersey families know Jeff Van Drew delivers results, they trust him, and they’ll proudly reelect him in November,” she said.
Former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, who resigned last week after investigators found that he had made inappropriate and sexually charged comments to women and violated ethics rules, is now being investigated by his church, according to an email from a bishop reviewed by The Inquirer.
Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, the bishop of the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey Episcopal Area, sent a brief email to colleagues on Sept. 25, just hours after Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced Caldwell’s resignation that day.
“I write to inform you that I have received a complaint concerning Rev. Dale Caldwell, Lt. Governor of New Jersey and licensed pastor. The complaint is being processed according to the policies and procedures of the United Methodist Church,” the bishop’s email said.
In an email to the Inquirer Thursday night, Moore-Koikoi elaborated, saying she had suspended Caldwell from his pastoral duties until the investigation was done.
“Because we hold clergy to a high standard, we take the allegations made in the report seriously,” Moore-Koikoi’s statement said. “Following the publication of the report about the former Lt. Governor, I received a complaint based on the concerns raised in the report. In order to protect the well-being of Rev. Caldwell, the congregation, and all those involved, Rev. Caldwell has been placed on suspension while the complaint is processed.”
A spokesperson for the bishop clarified that the complaint “is based on what was already under investigation.”
In her email to members, Moore-Koikoi asked that they pray for him “and all those impacted by this process,” the email said. Moore-Koikoi included a Bible verse, 1 Corinthians 4:5a: “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.”
In an interview earlier Thursday, Caldwell said he was not facing any new allegations of impropriety. He said the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey Episcopal Area was simply “investigating the investigation, based on the same information.”
“It’s a piling on, and it’s crazy,” said Caldwell, the senior pastor at Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield.
At the time, he said no one has asked him to step aside. Caldwell could not immediately be reached for comment on the bishop’s statement saying she had suspended him.
Caldwell and his attorney have vociferously denied the former lieutenant governor and secretary of state did anything wrong and have criticized the findings of the four-month investigation by former Attorney General Christopher Porrino, who served under Gov. Chris Christie.
Caldwell, 66, left his job as president of Centenary University to run with Sherrill last year. The investigation found that Caldwell hit on a female staffer’s friend, and that when she turned him down, he told the staffer that ambitious women like them needed a man in a position to help them “but you young women are looking for young sperm.”
Caldwell denied making the comments, “but we did not find his denial credible,” Porrino’s report said. The state trooper accompanying Caldwell that day told investigators he never heard Caldwell make that statement.
Caldwell said Thursday he could not understand why they “disregarded” the testimony of the trooper, ”who was two feet away.”
The report said Caldwell also repeatedly brought personal guests to ticketed events without clearing it with the ethics officer and without paying for the extra tickets. The practice continued even after warnings, attending an ethics training, and being told about the investigation.
In releasing the report, Sherrill said it “lays out a pattern and practice of long-term concerning behavior.”
His attorney said when Caldwell “learned that reimbursement was appropriate in one particular situation, he reimbursed $175 for the event.”
Caldwell said he resigned “for the good of the state of New Jersey” because the matter distracted from the Sherrill administration’s important work.
When asked to comment, a Sherrill spokesperson referred to the governor’s earlier comments defending the thoroughness of Porrino’s investigation.
Caldwell and his attorney have said they are weighing their legal options. When asked what he might do, he said he could “sue for harassment.” He lamented “there was something wrong with the American system of justice” because it would take an enormous amount of money to prove he did nothing wrong.
“I can leave with my head up. I have a 22-year-old daughter and she was seeing all these people attack her dad,” Caldwell said. “I have a good life and opportunities. The number of supporters are many more than the detractors.”
Staff writer Aliya Schneider contributed to this article.
This story has been updated to reflect Caldwell’s suspension from his pastoral duties.
The overall approval rating for the first-termDemocratic governor also remains steady eight months into her tenure, the poll said.
The poll found 44% of New Jerseyans approve of the way Sherrill is handling her job, 34% disapprove, and 22% are unsure. The poll was conducted from Sept. 24 through 27, a period covering the investigation’s release and former Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell’s resignation.
South Jersey residents were less supportive of Sherrill, however, with 33% approving of her performance, 47% disapproving, and 21% unsure.
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“Gov. Sherrill’s approval numbers look much like they did at 100 days, which in this political climate — and after a challenging summer — is itself an accomplishment,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
”She continues to draw more positive reactions than negative ones, and more New Jerseyans have formed an impression of her than had of Phil Murphy at this same point in his first term,” Koning said. “But a quarter of residents still have no opinion of her almost a year in, and how those New Jerseyans eventually break will decide whether her net positive ratings hold.”
Stephen Sigmund, a spokesperson for Sherrill, said the poll reflects how the governor has approached the job.
“Since day one, Gov. Sherrill has been taking action to drive down costs, build a stronger future for our kids, make Trenton more accountable, and stand up to Donald Trump’s attacks on our state. That work is resonating with New Jerseyans, and her focus will always be on delivering for them,” Sigmund said.
The pollster asked participants to evaluate how well she had handled the independent investigation into claims that Caldwell used his job to meet women.
The center had to adjust the question to reflect Caldwell’s resignation last Friday, but there was no statistically significant difference in how people responded. The poll found 68% saying she handled the situation “very well” or “somewhat well,” 14% “not very well” or “not well” at all, and 19% were unsure, the poll said.
Sherrill released the independent counsel’s report, which corroborated allegations of sexual harassment, last Thursday. Caldwell resigned the following day. He and his attorney, Thomas Calcagni, denied any wrongdoing and called the investigation flawed.
“She brought in an outside investigator and then called publicly for her own lieutenant governor to resign, and most residents read that as accountability rather than protecting her own or politics as usual,” Koning said.
The governor released a 61-page report from a monthlong investigation conducted by an outside law firm late Thursday afternoon. The report said Caldwell had made inappropriate comments to women and violated ethics rules. Caldwell, a minister, is the former president of Centenary University.
According to the report, Caldwell made a “romantic advance toward a female staffer’s friend.” When she turned him down, Caldwell told the staffer that ambitious women like her and her friend needed a man in his position to help them “but you young women are looking for young sperm,” according to the report.
Although Sherrill’s marks are favorable, participants were less optimistic on the direction of the state, with 43% saying New Jersey was on the wrong track, 37% on the right track, and 20% unsure.
The poll also asked residents their opinion on President Donald Trump. He remained overwhelmingly unpopular in New Jersey, with 24% saying they had a favorable impression of him, 66% unfavorable, and 10% no opinion.
In South Jersey, 60% of residents had an unfavorable opinion, 30% had a favorable opinion, and 10% had no opinion. The poll defined South Jersey as Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, and Cape May Counties.
The results are based on a survey of 1,004 adults. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
The temperature was in the low 70s with a light breeze and clear skies. It was perfect boating weather. A group of students from Philadelphia’s Maritime Academy were excited to paddle out onto the Cooper River.
But Don Baugh from the Upstream Alliance had to cancel the trip. The water was still too dirty from the weekend’s heavy rain, which can cause sewage to spit out into the river from old pipes in Camden.
“Our goal is that we don’t have to cancel at all … we’d be able to say anybody can recreate, play, swim, on this water 365 days of the year, whether it rained or not,” Baugh said from his motorboat on Tuesday, surrounded by greenery and mud-colored water.
That is why Baugh hopes voters will support a ballot referendum in Camden County that would increase the open space tax by one cent per $100 of property owned. That one-cent increase would go toward the county’s ambitious plan to rehabilitate its sewers and waterways through a multifaceted initiative that is slated to cost about $400 million across the next 10 years. It has become more urgent, county officials say, as powerful storms and flooding become more commonplace due to climate change.
The nonprofit Upstream Alliance provides free kayaking to the public, but the organization has had to cancel about 20% of its programming due to concerns about water cleanliness, Baugh said. His rule of thumb is to wait 48 hours after half an inch of rain falls before allowing people in the water, so the bacteria from the sewage can die. But even that was not enough time following the weekend’s storm.
Put frankly, the water still looked “yucky,” Baugh said, so he was not going to expose people to it.
Olivia Liu with Upstream Alliance on the Cooper River in Camden County on Tuesday. A tax increase ballot referendum would fund projects like sewer rehabilitations aimed at improving the county’s waterways.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
What is the referendum?
Camden County voters have already been receiving their mail ballots for the Nov. 3 election. One of the decisions they face is whether to raise the county’s open space tax by one cent — bringing it to $0.03 per $100 of assessed property value. If it passes, the tax will still be one cent lower than in neighboring Burlington and Gloucester Counties.
This means that someone with property assessed at $500,000 would pay $150 a year toward open space, up from $100 at the current $0.02 rate.
The county’s open space tax is used to preserve parks, farmland, and historic sites. But the one-cent increase would be dedicated to the county’s $400 million clean water plan, which includes sewer repairs along the Cooper River, green infrastructure, dredging in local lakes, and recreation programs.
“The county is making a very bold step doing this now, and, frankly, nobody wants a tax, right? But everybody wants a higher quality of life,” Baugh said. “Everybody wants a safe and clean environment today and for tomorrow.”
Scott Schreiber, the executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA) —the entity overseeing the project — believes the county could raise about $7 million from the tax increase, which could result in approximately $100 million worth of project funding through the New Jersey Water Bank, which offers the entity very low interest rates and principal forgiveness.
The existing user rate that residents pay to the CCMUA will go toward the projects, Schreiber said, and the county will also seek out funds from the state and federal governments, as well as philanthropies.
“It’s not one entity that can fix this,” Schreiber said. “This is going to take a combination of local government, state, federal government, advocacy groups, and the regular public to make this work. Without that combination of people and funding, it’s going to be really impossible to fix any of this stuff.”
Here is what the $400 million effort, which the tax increase would go toward funding, entails.
A combined sewer overflow site during low tide on Tuesday. This 60-inch discharge pipe spits out untreated wastewater and stormwater during heavy rain events, which flow directly into the back channel of the Delaware River.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The sewer problem
The cities of Camden and Gloucester have an antiquated sewage system that combines stormwater and sewage in the same pipes. The pipes are designed to carry the combined liquid to the wastewater treatment plant, but when there is heavy rain, they can overflow and the contaminated water spits into the Cooper and Delaware Rivers. The overflow from the combined pipes can cause flooding — and then residents are subjected to sewage-infested waters in their streets and homes.
“These are the old stone pipes that were built before the current technology,” Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash said.
“But as both cities grew, and the storms have become more violent, and rain has become more excessive … flooding has been a large problem,” he added.
On top of the risks to humans, the nutrients from the human waste are harmful for aquatic life.
There are 30 combined sewage overflow spots in the two cities, Schreiber said, that dump waste into the river when there is heavy rain and the system cannot handle it. Just one of the larger combined pipes pours out about 200 million gallons of sewage-filled water a year, he said, and the two cities dump out about 800 million gallons on average altogether.
The county wants to spend $200 million to upgrade this system.
The rest of the county has separate stormwater and sewage pipes, but they still need to be maintained. Leaky pipes can also cause sewage to spill into the river.
The county plans to spend about $50 million for the rehabilitation of these sewer systems across multiple municipalities. The county has already begun the design process for lining some of these pipes, Schreiber said.
The bottom line is, the Cooper River — which runs from Gibbsboro and Voorhees out to the Delaware River — does not meet state and federal water quality standards, he said, so the county is taking a “holistic approach” to fix the waterway that flows through multiple municipalities.
Wildlife along the back channel of the Delaware River near the Cooper River on Tuesday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Green infrastructure
The plan also includes $25 million for green infrastructure, like rain gardens or bioswales, which are typically sloped channels covered with vegetation.
Green infrastructure gets water directly into the ground, which helps with flooding and decreases the amount of water going through the pipes to the treatment plant, overall alleviating the system. This infrastructure, however, requires expensive and ongoing maintenance, Schreiber said.
“The more that you contain the water on the land, the better it is for the water,” Baugh said.
Dredging
The project also includes $75 million for dredging and other methods of removing sediment from public waterways. This sediment includes toxins that end up in the water from residential and business areas, and if it is not removed, waterways can become defunct. It is part of what makes Camden County’s waterways brown after heavy rain, because “a lot of not-good stuff on the bottom” gets stirred up, Schreiber said.
“We really want to make sure that we’re taking that sediment out, so that even if it does get disturbed and move, it’s moving clean sediment and not polluting or contaminating,” he added.
Cleaning up Evans Pond and Wallworth Lake, Cooper River Lake, and Kirkwood Lake are priorities for the county.
Newton Lake Park, which runs through Haddon Township, Collingswood, and Oaklyn, finished a two-year, $23 million dredging process in 2023 that rehabilitated the lake after it became clogged. And just on Tuesday, the county unveiled the results of a $1.3 million project to improve fishing piers at the rejuvenated lake.
Don Baugh, president and founder of Upstream Alliance is on the Delaware River on Tuesday with Scott Schreiber (right), executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, looking at sewage runoff from Camden’s waterways.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Parts of Camden’s waterways are littered with lead and arsenic that was used in apple orchards decades ago in places like Cherry Hill and Voorhees, as well as toxins from the Sherwin-Williams/Hilliards Creek Superfund site, the location of a former paint manufacturer in Gibbsboro.
Recreation
Baugh said local families who do not have experience on the water and might not know how to swim show up to his free Saturday kayaking program disappointed that they cannot go out on a nice day. As the county gradually addresses its sewage issues, he expects to feel better putting people out on the water under his 48-hour rule and one day get rid of it completely.
And the county’s plan would give more options for residents to enjoy their local waters, with $50 million allocated to restoring recreational lake areas. This effort aims to bring more fishing piers, kayak rentals, boat launches, and water trail systems, Schreiber said. The county is prioritizing rehabilitating Atco Lake, Lake Worth, and Audubon Lake, according to its planning document.
Nash described exploring the county’s urban waterways as a “great thrill.” He wants more residents in Camden to enjoy it, too.
Each of the plan’s components has distinct advantages, but taken together their benefits amplify, Schreiber said.
“And if you do that holistically from the top of the county all the way down, you’re going to have a much more clean and friendly park system and river water system,” he added.
Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., a New Jersey Republican in a tight reelection battle, sought to distance himself slightly from President Donald Trump on Sunday as his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Bennett, pelted him with reminders of his years of loyalty to the unpopular president.
Kean began his opening comments during a debate in Rahway, New Jersey, by stating that he was willing to stand up to Trump’s efforts to strip funding from a critical Hudson River rail tunnel. “I will make sure that I counter anybody who gets in my way, including this president,” he said.
And for the first time, Kean clearly stated his opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury, New Jersey, into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.
He also said he opposed Trump’s decision to change the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” On key issues such as the war in Iran and the president’s tariffs, however, he maintained strong support for Trump’s policies.
“The president is justifiably using that to reduce costs for consumers,” Kean said of the tariffs.
His seat in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, which has seesawed between the two parties three times since 2018, is considered a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats as they try to retake control of Congress in November.
On Friday, in a sign of the volatility of the contest, The Cook Political Report shifted the race from “toss-up” to “leans” Democratic, despite the Republican Party’s 16,600-voter registration edge. An independent poll taken this month showed Kean trailing Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot.
Groups aligned with the Republican Party are pumping millions of dollars into the race. Kean and his Republican allies have booked $17.4 million in advertising, far outpacing Democrats’ $4.9 million, according to AdImpact, an ad analytics firms.
Sunday’s debate was the first time that Kean, 58, had subjected himself to extensive public questioning since being absent from Congress for nearly four months while being treated for what he has said was depression. The first question Kean was asked dealt with the lack of information he shared while hospitalized and missing from Congress from March through June.
“Nobody can plan a medical emergency,” he said. “And that was a medical emergency.”
Neither the debate’s moderators nor Bennett pressed him for additional details about his treatment or his fitness to continue to hold office for a third term.
“I’m glad that you got access to the care that you need,” Bennett said, “and I wish you a continued speedy recovery.”
Kean — the son and namesake of a former New Jersey governor — has never been known as a graceful speaker, even after 25 years as a politician. But he appeared confident Sunday as he parried for 90 minutes with Bennett. His wife, father and twin brother sat in the front row behind the moderators.
He stressed his experience and his unconditional support for Israel, noting that he would support sending U.S. troops to defend the country, if needed. He also tried to depict Bennett, a first-time candidate, as a puppet of the Democratic Party.
“You have not heard my opponent once tonight differ from the average Democratic member of Congress, who always votes the party line,” he said.
Bennett, 39, focused on Kean’s support for Trump’s policies, including his vote to slash Medicaid funding, as she worked to present him as out of touch with his constituents’ concerns.
She repeatedly mentioned his active stock portfolio and the trades he signed off on while absent from Congress, as well as the fact that he had not put his assets in a blind trust when he entered Congress, as he had promised to do. (Kean’s lawyer has said that doing so would preclude him from also taking “principled and pragmatic stands” against investing with foreign adversaries and selling American stocks short.) Bennett said she had sold all of her individual stocks before the race — although she refused, when pressed, to disclose the value of those sales or her net worth.
Bennett also spoke forcefully about the need to end the war in Iran.
“Any time we are going to put American service members in harm’s way, there needs to be a clear motivation, a clear objective and a clear exit strategy,” she said. “And we have not seen any of that from this administration.”
She repeatedly linked the war to the high price of gas as she stressed her goal of bringing down costs if elected. “The reason that we are seeing this increase in our gas prices,” she said, “is because of this unnecessary war.”
The two did share a moment of bipartisan agreement when asked about pineapple on pizza.
“I find that perfectly acceptable,” Kean said.
“I’ll eat it,” Bennett said. “But I wouldn’t put it on there myself.”
After the debate, the challenger lingered to take questions from reporters. Bennett said that if Kean opposes Trump’s efforts to block funding for the Hudson River tunnel, which is known as Gateway, he hasn’t been effective.
“Donald Trump has tried to hold up the funding for the Gateway tunnel,” she said, “and Tom Kean Jr. has been unable to do anything to make sure we’re actually going to get the funding back.”
Minutes after the debate ended, Kean quickly exited through a side back door, flanked by family members and aides.
He ignored a question about his differences with Trump as he climbed into a silver sport utility vehicle that was waiting for him near the exit.
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has resignedafter investigators found “credible evidence” of sexual harassment and other wrongdoing.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced his resignation at a news conference Friday afternoon after calling for him to step down while releasing the investigative report Thursday evening.
“His decision will allow us to move forward with important work serving the people of our state,” saidSherrill, who was inaugurated with Caldwell by her side in January.
“I will move swiftly and thoughtfully in choosing a new lieutenant governor who will represent my administration and the people of New Jersey with honor and integrity.”
The governor released a 61-page report from a monthlong investigation conducted by an outside law firm late Thursday afternoon. The report said Caldwell made inappropriate comments to women and violated ethics rules. Caldwell, a minister, is the former president of Centenary University.
Sherrill called for him to resign by Friday, but it was unclear whether he would listen. Caldwell denied the investigation’s findings through his attorney, who argued Caldwell was not given an opportunity to meaningfully address the accusations in the report or provide his own witnesses.
Sherrill emphasized Friday that she wanted to “make sure everyone was treated fairly and justly” and called the investigation thorough and impartial.
“After I received the report and the facts were clear, I took action right away,” Sherrill said, in what may have been a nod to earlier criticism that she didn’t confirm the investigation while it was underway. “Let me be clear: all credible allegations of misconduct must be fully investigated and addressed. In my administration, we are committed to doing what is right, not what is politically expedient.”
The investigation found Caldwell hit on a female staffer’s friend, and when she turned him down, he told the staffer that ambitious women like them needed a man in a position to help them, “but you young women are looking for young sperm.”
Caldwell denied making the comments, “but we did not find his denial credible,” the report said.
Replacing Caldwell
Sherrill did not have the power to fire Caldwell, so his resignation prevents potential impeachment proceedings in Trenton. The governor has 45 days to pick his replacement.
In the meantime, New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari will lead the state in her absence. Sherrill traveled to campaign for Democrats in congressional races in other states earlier in the summer, leaving Caldwell in charge. But she stopped after the investigation became public knowledge.
Sherrill said she spoke to Caldwell on Thursday and texted with him on Friday, and that he resigned to let her administration continue with its agenda amid “all of the attacks from the federal government on affordability, voting rights.”
Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas Calcagni, said in a statement late Friday that his client continues to dispute the allegations in the report and would be exploring “all legal remedies” to contest its findings.
“We continue to forcefully challenge the report. Dr. Caldwell’s resignation, submitted to put an end to the targeted campaign to discredit his character, does not in any way diminish our outrage concerning the investigative process and its specious findings,” Calcagni said.
As fragments of the allegations leaked out over the weeks, some of Caldwell’s friends and allies shared messages of support about his character and record of service. And while he did not speak publicly as news of the investigation surfaced, a May letter he wrote to the ethics commission forcefully denying the claims — and alleging racism — was leaked to media.
On Friday, a group of self-described Black “faith, civic, and community leaders” commended his decision to resign.
“By choosing to step down and ending this controversy, he has put the interests of the people of New Jersey and the work of our state ahead of himself,” the group said in a statement, which included U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D., Mercer), New Jersey Democratic Committee Chair LeRoy Jones, among others.
Democratic state legislators remained largely quiet before Caldwell announced his resignation, but many were relieved to see Caldwell step down.
Assemblymember Anthony Angelozzi, a Burlington County Democrat, said he was “appalled” with the findings of the report.
“The idea of using your government position for personal benefit and harassing women, as someone who has staff members who are female and a daughter, I wouldn’t want to put any woman in a compromised position like that,” he said.
Assemblymember Balivir Singh floated another Burlington County Democrat, State Sen. Troy Singleton, as an ideal replacement for Caldwell.
“You look for a person with integrity … and I would think my senator is the best,” Singh said.
As lieutenant governor, Caldwell served a dual role as the state’s top election official. With his resignation less than 40 days before the midterm election, Sherrill appointed Acting Comptroller Shirley Emehelu to serve as secretary of state on an acting basis.
“For months at this point, the Department of State team has been hard at work preparing for the upcoming elections in partnership with local and county election officials. I will make sure their work proceeds as planned,” Emehelu said.
The investigation into Caldwell was conducted by former Attorney General Christopher Porrino — who worked under former Republican Gov. Chris Christie — and his law firm. The probe had been going on since at least May.
Road crews had begun removing Caldwell’s name from state signs on I-95 as of Friday, but the scandal is still likely to dominate New Jersey politics for the foreseeable future.
Christine Giordano Hanlon, chair of the New Jersey GOP, called Sherrill’s handling of the investigation a “failure.”
“Caldwell’s resignation is not accountability for everything that happened before it,” she said. “There are many more questions that will need to be answered.”
‘Long-term concerning behavior’ outlined in report
Sherrill said the report “lays out a pattern and practice of long-term concerning behavior.” She said her decision shows the “culture change” she has pushed for in Trenton.
“What was so important to me was to make sure that if there are substantiated claims of sexual harassment and ethics violations, that I, as the leader of the government, handle that,” she said.
“There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug,” she said. “You can speak to numerous people who’ve worked in the statehouse for decades who felt this day would never come, that allegations would never be taken seriously, action would never be taken, and victims would just have to either quit their job or move on.”
According to the report, less than a month after being spoken to and given training on workplace conduct and ethics, and four days after he was told about the investigation, Caldwell tried to get a promotion for a state employee he was dating.
Caldwell’s attorney said the lieutenant governor forwarded the employee’s resume and did not disclose the two had a personal relationship.
The report also details comments Caldwell allegedly made about wanting a “first lady.” One staffer said he asked her to find him someone and another recalled him suggesting that he would need a wife in order to run for governor and to let him know if she comes across someone suitable. Caldwell admitted to making comments to staffers about wanting a “first lady” but said he wasn’t serious and other people in the office made similar kinds of jokes, the report said.
He also repeatedly made comments about staffers having “executive appearance,” which came across to some staffers as a judgment on women’s physical attractiveness. Caldwell said the term was about how both men and women carry themselves, not physical appearance, the report said.
Caldwell repeatedly brought personal guests to ticketed events without clearing it with the ethics officer and without paying for the extra tickets, a practice that continued even after warnings, attending an ethics training, and being told about the investigation, the report said. His attorney said when Caldwell “learned that reimbursement was appropriate in one particular situation, he reimbursed $175 for the event.”
He was also accused of providing his business card to women he wanted to date, but he said in his May letter that he gives his business card to more men than women.
“I have never asked anyone out on a date, ‘hit on,’ or pursued anyone romantically while conducting official business as Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State,” he said at the time.
Staff writers Susan K. Livio, Sarah Nicell, and Lacey Latch contributed reporting.
New Jersey’s two senators in Washington echoed Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s call for Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to resign just hours after she released a report that said he sexually harassed a woman and made advances to others even after he was warned to stop.
Sen. Andy Kim, a Burlington County Democrat, said in a statement on social media that the lieutenant’s governor was “unacceptable” based on the findings in the 61-page report based on a months-long investigation by an outside law firm.
“New Jerseyans deserve to have public servants who work to earn and keep their trust, not undermine it,” Kim said.
“The Lt. Governor should resign immediately,” he added.
Sherrill’s office released the documents Thursday evening in her first acknowledgement of the investigation into Caldwell, who has denied the findings of the report.
Sherrill said Caldwell “engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office.”
The governor called on Caldwell to step down from his post as her No. 2 by Friday, but statements from his attorneys show no indication he plans to adhere to that request. He’ll likely face increasing pressure over the course of the day.
USE AS DESIRED: U.S. Sen. Cory Booker addresses members of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey in Mt.Laurel Aug. 29, 2023.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Sen. Cory Booker, a Newark Democrat, said Caldwell should resign “for the sake of our state” in a statement on social media.
“Governor Sherrill is absolutely right the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable,” he said.
U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver hasn’t put her life on hold to fight what she sees as totally unfounded charges by the Trump administration that she supposedly assaulted a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a protest last year.
Instead, the first-term Democratic congresswoman is expecting her second child next month, she’s up for reelection in November, and because of Congress’ backward policies on parental leave (as in, there are none), she continues to put in long hours representing New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, which includes her hometown of Newark.
Lurking in the background, however, is the knowledge that if convicted on two charges of assaulting an ICE officer, she could be sentenced to as much as 17 years in prison.
It’s way more than most people in her situation could handle.
McIver’s inner strength is next level.
She is running for reelection on Nov. 3 while fighting efforts by the Trump administration to make an example out of her. McIver is also repping her constituents in Newark in Washington, D.C., all while caring for — and expanding — her family.
Her journey to motherhood hasn’t been easy. McIver, 40, has spoken openly about her yearslong struggles with fibroids, her use of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and her opposition to President Donald Trump’s merciless immigration enforcement campaign. She hopes her candor resonates with women who also are trying to balance career, pregnancy, and motherhood.
Meanwhile, she is scheduled to give birth to her second child on Oct. 16. After she delivers, McIver will become one of fewer than 20 members of Congress ever to have done so.
My jaw dropped during the interview in which McIver informed me that as a member of Congress, she isn’t entitled to maternity leave. Postpartum, McIver also won’t be able to cast votes for legislation remotely or by proxy.
“They give you nothing,” McIver said. “It makes no sense that you have to give birth and instead of focusing on healing and nursing, you have to literally put that to the side and share that with getting back to work. It’s honestly disgusting. It’s unbelievable in 2026 that this is where we are still at.”
U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D., N.J.) speaks to reporters after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested while protesting at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in May 2025.Angelina Katsanis
Legislation that would have greatly helped her and other members of Congress in her position failed to garner adequate Republican support to pass last year. McIver blamed House Speaker Mike Johnson, among others, whom she said “don’t give a damn — and don’t want to make this a place that works for moms because they don’t want moms here.”
After the election on Nov. 3, McIver intends to immediately return to Washington and get back to work. Luckily, she will have help from her “great village” that includes her mother. “I’m a stickler about not missing votes,” McIver pointed out, adding, “There are so many things that Republicans are going to be trying to do.”
McIver, along with several other elected officials, had been attempting to inspect conditions at Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility along an industrial stretch of land near Newark Liberty International Airport in May 2025 when a scuffle broke out.
McIver placed herself next to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka to shield him during the melee. I’ve watched the video numerous times. It doesn’t show her throwing a punch or striking anyone. No one was injured, either. But that didn’t stop Alina Habba, a former defenselawyer for Trump who briefly served as a U.S. attorney inNew Jersey, from filing assault charges against McIver.
McIverattempted to get the charges dismissed. In August, an appeals court ruled that McIver’s actions were nonlegislative and not protected by constitutional immunity, which clears the way for legal proceedings against her to proceed.
Glynda C. Carr, the founder of Higher Heights for America PAC, described what happened as a “flash point” of the anti-immigration detention center movement that future generations will read about in history books.
“This is bigger than LaMonica McIver,” Carr said, adding that the case could establish a baseline for whether elected officials will be permitted to conduct oversight of ICE detention centers without fear of prosecution.
As for McIver, I’m sure her case will be tied up in the courts until after Trump leaves office, and then thrown out once new people come into office. Meanwhile, becausemembers of Congress are prohibited from accepting pro bono legal work, McIver has to raise money to pay her legal bills, which are expected to exceed $1 million.
It’s a lot to juggle, along with being pregnant, serving as a member of Congress, and being under attack by a government hell-bent on making life more difficult for working women, especially African American women.
A former South Jersey Transportation Authority commissioner and Philadelphia union leader accused by a New Jersey grand jury of using public office to retaliate against a political foe enteredaguilty plea deal Wednesday that will likely keep him out of prison.
The grand jury last year indicted Bryan Bush and Christopher Milam, a current SJTA commissioner and former vice chair, on six counts of conspiracy, official misconduct, and perjury.
Prosecutors accused the two Gloucester County men of conspiring in 2023 to deny payment to a contractor that had allegedly fallen out of favor with George E. Norcross III, a Democratic South Jersey powerbroker, and with lying to a grand jury about their reasons for rejecting payments.
Bush, who was represented by Robert Agre of Agre & St. John in Haddonfield, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction in the fourth degree — and agreed not to hold public employment. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the remaining charges and recommended probation. He agreed to comply with conditions in a Sept. 17 letter from the state, which prosecutors did not make available on Wednesday.
Milam, whose term as commissioner officially ended earlierthis year, rejected prosecutors’ offer. His attorney, Charles Fiore of Charles Fiore Law Offices in Williamstown, is seeking Pretrial Intervention (PTI), a program that can help first-time offenders get charges dropped by “gaining skills to straighten out personal problems in order to avoid future arrests,” according to the New Jersey Courts website. He appeared in court remotely on Zoom.
Obstructing the administration of law has a maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison, Judge Donna Taylor said in court. Taylor rejected a motion to dismiss the case in early July.
In court, Bush admitted withholding information from prosecutorsthat would havehelped the investigation intothe nonpayment of money to T&M Associates, a Middletown, N.J.-based engineering firm, for itscontract with the SJTA.
Bush told The Inquirer he will keep his job as the business manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 19, an influential union in Philadelphia.
“I’m just trusting my attorney’s judgment on all of this,” Bush told The Inquirer on his way out of the courtroom at Atlantic County Criminal Court on Wednesday.
Dan Prochilo, a spokesperson for Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, who inherited the case from former Attorney General Matthew Platkin, said Wednesday that the office “is committed to investigating and fighting for accountability in any case where public officials abuse their positions of public trust.”
Davenport did not pursue Platkin’s case against Norcross, declining to appeal a court ruling that dismissed it.
‘Political suicide’
Milam’s lawyer argued that the case centers on Norcross — though he is not a defendant — and that prosecutors used it to strengthen their separate case against him,according to court documents. Henoted that the power broker was mentioned 50 times during the grand jury presentation.
When asked to comment on Bush’s plea, Dan Fee, a spokesperson for Norcross, criticized the former attorney general. Platkin, he said, “tried to pin something on George that just wasn’t true.”
According to court documents, John Cimino, head of T&M Associates, got on Norcross’ bad side after endorsing a different candidate than Norcross directed in a Democratic primary for Mercer County executive. Norcross subsequently said Cimino committed “political suicide” and was off his “Christmas card list,” according to the documents.
Norcross’ firm dropped T&M as a client and his longtime political consultant resigned from T&M, according to the documents. Milam and Bush entered the picture because, as SJTA commissioners, they voted against payments for work done by T&M for the agency at three separate meetings.
Detectives discovered texts from Milam to Bush saying he planned to vote against T&M because “they cut South Jersey in Mercer County,” and Bush said he would vote no, too. The commissioners eventually approved the invoices after they were directed to do so by SJTA Director Stephen Dougherty, according to the court record.
Milam’s term technically expired in May, but he remains a commissioner until Gov. Mikie Sherrill makes an appointment, SJTA spokesperson David Zappariello said. He declined to comment on the case.
The SJTA oversees the Atlantic City Expressway and Atlantic City International Airport. It also works on transit efforts across South Jersey, such as the new South Jersey Connectsbus system.
During the whirlwind spectacle of his daughter’s Sept. 1 wedding, business leader Duvi Honig noticed his guest, Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, was sharing his business card and private cell phone number with everyone he met.
Honig said he told Caldwell to stop — he was there as a friend and he wanted him to relax and have fun. Caldwell assured him that in his role as Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s liaison to the business community, he was happy to help anyone in need, Honig recalled.
So when Honig read the news days later that Caldwell, a minister, was the subject of a monthslong ethics investigation for allegedly giving business cards to women he wanted to date, among other claims, he said he had to defend the lieutenant governor. No one else seemed to be speaking up for him, he said.
“I thought, ‘What the heck is this?’ What I witnessed — him being overly nice to everyone — is being used against him?” said Honig, a Lakewood resident and founder of the national Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. “He is a special person. He is accessible to anyone and he has no agenda.”
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell plays with a soccer ball at the Collingswood World Cup fan fest on July 19.Courtesy Camden County
Now that Caldwell’s name and political future are tied to an investigation — which Sherrill will not confirm but is privately being carried out by a former state attorney general — some of his friends and colleagues are rushing to his defense to answer the question: Who is Dale Caldwell?
Before the investigation became public, Sherrill, a rising star in the Democratic Party, had been hitting the road for the party’s candidates in key congressional races, transferring the gubernatorial powers and responsibilities to Caldwell when she left the state.
But she has since curtailed her travel while the investigation drags on amid Republican criticism and concerns from members of her own party, according to three veteran Democrats who were involved in her campaign or have ties to her administration who were not authorized to comment publicly.
“She is failing at the most important time” by not being able to campaign, said one veteran adviser.
The governor recently made trips to New York City for a 9/11 memorial event and a live interview with the Atlantic, but she did not make Caldwell acting governor because of an exception that allows travel across the river.
“We’re not going to speculate about the Governor’s schedule, but her priorities are always guided by the best interests of New Jerseyans,” Sherrill spokesperson Sean Higgins said in a statement.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill (right) stands beside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the National September 11 Memorial in lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2026. Hiroko Masuike
Democratic power players have privately expressed frustration that Sherrill has left them in the dark about the probe while Republicans call for Caldwell’s resignation. Sherrill said in a statement days after the news broke that “any credible report must be fully examined and addressed.”
The veteran campaign adviser, who is close to both Caldwell and Sherrill, said the two have not spoken directly with each other as the investigation proceeds.
A senior campaign adviser, impressed with Caldwell’s resuméand “unblemished public record,” recommended the pick. It dramatically raised his public profile to new heights in a role that would entrust him to lead the state in Sherrill’s absence.
The 66-year-old divorced minister with degrees from Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania previously served as the first Black president of Centenary University. He worked as deputy commissioner of community affairs in former Democratic Gov. James McGreevey’s administration more than 20 years ago.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell embraces his daughter Ashley Caldwell after she introduced him at Sherrill’s election night party in East Brunswick on Nov. 4, 2025.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
He also held a seat on the New Brunswick Board of Education for nearly three decades and founded charter schools in Asbury Park and Trenton.
Last year, the state comptroller’s office interviewed Caldwell, a founder and then-board president at the College Achieve Greater Asbury Park Charter School, as part of its ongoing investigation into whether the school had violated public contract laws and misused public funds.
Caldwell is the first man and third Black person to serve as lieutenant governor. He quickly embraced the opportunity to be Sherrill’s No. 2, a campaign adviser said.
“Their dynamic [between Sherrill and Caldwell] was terrific. Reports coming back on his appearances were all very positive and they got off on a strong start on inauguration day, as far as I knew,” the adviser said.
One person close to the campaign, however, said after the election Caldwell asked others how he should do the job.
“You are there as the governor’s person. You report to the governor and chief of staff,”the source said. “He laughed. I think he was trying to do his own thing.”
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell celebrate their victory on Nov. 4, 2025, in East Brunswick.Kevin R. Wexler, Kevin R. Wexler
The investigation, sparked by at least one anonymous complaint, began more than four months ago, according to the campaign adviser.
The complaint accused Caldwell of bringing uninvited women to events andhanding his business card out to women he wanted to date. And a state employee accused him of making inappropriate comments, the New York Times reported.
Caldwell declined a request for an interview through a spokesperson. His attorney, Thomas Calgagni in Newark, did not respond to requests for comment.
Caldwell denied the allegations and suggested racism was a factor in a May 28 letter to the state’s chief ethics officer, noting that he is “the first single Black man to serve at this level in government,” and that “in this current political environment, false accusations, especially against people of color, seem to be commonplace,” which was first reported by BINJE.com.
“I have never asked anyone out on a date, ‘hit on,’ or pursued anyone romantically while conducting official business as Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State,” his letter said. “Throughout my career in government, higher education, nonprofit leadership, ministry and public service, I have consistently conducted myself professionally and respectfully.”
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell (center) applauds as Gov. Mikie Sherrill finishes her budget address March 10 in the Assembly Chamber at the New Jersey State House.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Former congressional candidate Tim Alexander, an Atlantic County-based civil rights attorney, got to know Caldwell while working on the campaign trail for Sherrill in South Jersey last year. He sang Caldwell’s praises and said he believes he is “good for the state.”
Alexander, a former detective, said Caldwell supported his congressional bid but stepped away to avoid a conflict as the new secretary of state, which he called a “testament to his character.” The former candidate, who is Black, said he cannot believe race is a factor in the allegations without knowing more.
“Dale has impeccable credentials, and he also has Black skin. So there’s a lot that I could opine on, but when it comes to investigations, I got to leave it out. … If we have confirmation bias, it turns the investigation to trash,” he said.
Fighting back, with help
Last week, a small band of friends and colleagues spoke out to condemn the vague allegations, the snail’s pace of the investigation, and the permanent harm to Caldwell’s reputation no matter the outcome.
Felicia Simmons of Asbury Park was one of several friends to rush to Caldwell’s defense last week by questioning the legitimacy of the investigation. She helped organize one of the events in question — the Whitesboro Black History Gala, an event in April recognizing the preservation efforts of the state’s first planned Black community, located in Cape May County.
Simmons said she invited the lieutenant governor to hand out proclamations to honorees. She said she saw no questionable behavior on his part.
“It was very meaningful for him to be here,” she added.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell walks with Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward in Collingswood on July 19 before reports of the investigation.Courtesy Camden County
Caldwell’s staff alerted her prior to the event that he would be bringing guests, which is not unusual because many dignitaries seldom travel alone, Simmons said.
And after all these months, no one from former Attorney General Christopher Porrino’s law firm, which is leading the probe, has spoken to her yet — even after she issued a statement criticizing investigators for not contacting her.
“I feel highly offended,” she said.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell (third from the right) attended the Whitesboro Black History Gala in April, at the invitation of Felicia Simmons (center). He is the target of an ethics investigation after an anonymous complaint said he acted inappropriately around women, including at this event. Simmons denies the allegation.Courtesy of Felicia Simmons
Caldwell “comes from a line of men with integrity,” noting his father marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she said.
“I truly believe Gov. Mikie Sherrill made the right choice picking this man and we can’t just sit back,” Simmons said. “These awful allegations could follow him for the rest of his life.”
Albert Stark, from the Philadelphia- and Marlton-based law firm Stark & Stark, also came to Caldwell’s defense in an interview, calling him a reliable friend and public servant. Stark said Caldwell, a pioneer in bringing tennis to young Black youth, helped establish the National Junior Tennis and Learning network in Trenton.
When he first heard about the scandal, Stark said, he wondered: “Who was setting him up?”
They haven’t spoken since the investigation was publicized, he said, but he offered this advice: “‘Just be yourself. You’re a terrific guy.’ He has got nothing to be ashamed of.”
‘They are trying to destroy his integrity’
Before the investigation leaked, Caldwell spent his summer visiting with business leaders and elected officials throughout the state, including in South Jersey. Local leaders did not comment on the accusations but said they appreciated Caldwell spending time in the region.
Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward said Caldwell visited her small borough for the second time for its World Cup fan fest. Caldwell kicked a soccer ball around with the mayor, thanked volunteers, and fist-bumped Deputy Mayor Amy Henderson Riley’s daughter. He posed with local vendors, smiled in front of a “giggle juice slushies” menu at Racoon Taproom, and chatted with kids at the All Fired Up! pottery studio.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell poses at Racoon Taproom in Collingswood on July 19.Courtesy Camden County
“He was kind and respectful, and seemed like he was very engaged in the things we were saying,” she said, noting that their interactions were limited.
As acting governor he visited Campbell’s and the Philadelphia 76ers training facility in Camden for an economic development tour in August, and he returned later that month for a Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey resource fair alongside Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen, a Democrat who declined to discuss Caldwell.
Thank you to @ChooseNJ and Camden Community Partnership for showing me some of the great work the City of Camden is doing to strengthen its economy and expand opportunity.
The Governor and I are committed to making sure Camden – and every community across the state – thrives. pic.twitter.com/95zIkO3KNy
— Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell (@LtGovCaldwellNJ) August 21, 2026
New Jersey Democrats have not been rushing to defend Caldwell, who has become a complicated topic for them with the extent of the allegations against him unclear.
Gerard Cleaves, a professor at Pillar College, a private evangelical Christian school in Newark, said he was angry at the Democrats who, he believes, are “out there fanning the smoke” by leaking tidbits of the investigation and not offering public support.
“They are trying to destroy his integrity,” he said.
“I am an old, white male Republican conservative who worked very hard to get [Sherrill’s GOP opponent] Jack Ciattarelli elected,” said Cleaves, who said he met the lieutenant governor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where Caldwell taught from 2018 to 2023. When Caldwell joined Sherrill’s ticket, Cleaves said, he told his colleagues they “would be hard to beat” based on Caldwell’s resumé and character.
Caldwell has not missed their Wednesday morningBible study lessons since news of investigation broke earlier this month, Cleaves said.
“He doesn’t appear stressed. He knows in his heart who he is. He has told me he will not resign. He is not going to give up,” he said.
