Joel Brooks, above, and Jake Ephros were elected on Dec. 2 to seats on Jersey City’s council. (Photos by Fran Baltzer and Roman Broszkowski)
It might seem like democratic socialism is having its moment in the sun, with two of the movement’s members snagging council seats in Jersey City’s runoff election Tuesday just a month after Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race.
Supporters say the wins — marking the first time a democratic socialist has been elected to public office in New Jersey in over a century — represent more than a moment. They signal a trend. And many in the movement, which rejects capitalism in favor of community ownership, have their eyes set on higher office…