Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said today that he will seek re-election to an unprecedented fourth term in 2026, and is expected to make a formal announcement at a fundraiser scheduled for this evening.
In a county that hasn’t elected a Republican since 2013, Tedesco is the strong favorite to win another term.
“When I see the progress we’ve made, the projects we’re about to break ground on, and the work still ahead, I know in my heart I’m ready to finish what we started,” said Tedesco. “We’ve built something special here – making public safety a priority, investing in education, keeping our promise to seniors and veterans, and delivering smart, responsible budgets.”
A former Paramus mayor and fire chief, and Bergen County Freeholder, Tedesco will have the backing of Democratic County Chairman Paul Juliano.
“Jim Tedesco has been the most successful county executive in Bergen County’s history,” Paul Juliano said. “That success is because of his tireless work ethic and dedication to public service – he rolls up his sleeves every day and gets to work for the people of this county. We’ve accomplished a lot together, and with Jim at the helm, I know the best is yet to come.”
Tedesco touts a long list of accomplishments. Including keeping the county on solid fiscal footing while investing in schools, roads, parks, and infrastructure. He identified a list of current priorities: workforce housing for educators, first responders, and healthcare workers, a new Career Innovation High School, and upgrades ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium.
“Working together, we’ve helped make Bergen County the best place in all of New Jersey to live, work, and raise a family – and together we can reach even greater heights,” he said.
Tedesco was first elected in 2014 in an eight-point victory against Republican incumbent Kathleen Donovan. The year before, he ousted incumbent Freeholder John Mitchell by 68 votes countywide in an election where Republicans captured the other two seats.
He was re-elected with 54% in 2014, 63% in 2018, and 56% in 2022 against perennial candidate Todd Caligure, a former freeholder.
Donovan unseated two-term Democrat Dennis McNerney in 2010 with 53% of the vote. McNerney, the first Democrat to win the county executive post, was elected in 2002 after defeating State Sen. Henry P. McNamara (R-Wykoff) by a 51%-47% margin.
Republican Bill McDowell won in 1986 against former Senate President Matthew Feldman, and Republican Pat Schuber held the post in 1990 against former State Sen. Jerramiah O’Connor, 1994 against former Assemblyman Edward Hynes, and 1998 against then-Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg.
Tedesco is the fifth Bergen County Executive since the office was created in 1986, one year after local voters overwhelmingly approved a change to the county’s form of government.
As a candidate for re-election, Tedesco is pointing to several key accomplishments: restoring $6.5 million in education funding and expanding initiatives at Bergen County Community College and Technical and Special Services schools, marking 11 consecutive years of increased education investments; creating a countywide emergency medical team to address municipal volunteer shortages and improve ambulance response times, responding to more than 18,000 calls in its first 2.5 years; establishing New Jersey’s first countywide Age-Friendly Task Force to meet the needs of senior residents; protecting victims of scams and fraud by securing over $1.5 million in restitution through the County’s Office of Consumer Affairs; and earning recognition as the 9th safest county in the nation.
