New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer launched his campaign for governor on Friday, pledging to cut taxes and create more jobs in the state.

“As governor, I will cut taxes and costs and help you and your family get ahead. Now I will do it while protecting the values ​​we believe in as Democrats,” Gottheimer said Friday during a campaign launch event at a restaurant in South Hackensack, New Jersey.

Living in the Garden State has become too expensive and has driven out families and businesses, he said, pledging to reverse that trend.

“My pride in Jersey is shared by millions,” Gottheimer said. “But life in Jersey has become too expensive. We pay too much tax and too much to live on. This leads to the disappearance of businesses and families that create jobs and undermines our quality of life.”

Gottheimer, who was elected last week to a fifth term representing New Jersey’s 5th District, is seeking to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

Since joining the House of Representatives in 2017, Gottheimer has led the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and been in the midst of major legislative negotiations on Capitol Hill, including on pandemic relief, budget issues and infrastructure transport. When Democrats were in the majority, he was regularly a thorn in the side of the progressive wing of the party.

Gottheimer focused much of his roughly 20-minute speech Friday on taxes, an issue that has been one of his top policy priorities on Capitol Hill. He prioritized repealing the $10,000 limit on the state and local tax deduction, signed into law as part of the 2017 Republican tax law, and touted his work to expand the tax credit for children.

He said he wants to revise the state tax code to make it more affordable to move to the state or buy a first home there.

He also criticized New York State’s proposed congestion pricing plan, which New York Governor Kathy Hochul resurrected this week, saying they “once beat the outrageous New York’s congestion tax and that I’m ready to take the fight and beat it again.”

A prodigious fundraiser, Gottheimer had $20 million in his congressional campaign account as of Oct. 16, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Gottheimer likely won’t be the only New Jersey Democrat on Capitol Hill seeking the nomination. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill is also considered a likely candidate and could launch her campaign as early as next week.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, former state Sen. Steve Sweeney, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller are all among the Democrats seeking the nomination. party.

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker told CQ Roll Call earlier this week that he doesn’t plan to weigh in on the primary, but praised the field for “quality candidates.”

New Jersey and Virginia are both scheduled to hold gubernatorial elections next year. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., opted against is running for reelection this year, after launching his gubernatorial campaign a year ago.

Before being elected to Congress, Gottheimer worked for President Bill Clinton, first as an undergraduate on his 1996 campaign’s “rapid response” team, then as a staff writer speech at the White House. He later worked as director of strategic communications for Ford Motor Co. and as director of corporate strategy for Microsoft.

Gottheimer defeated seven-term Republican Scott Garrett in his first bid in 2016 and has since been re-elected. He was re-elected last week with 54.5 percent of the vote, with 95 percent of the votes counted as of Friday.

Jackie Wang contributed to this report.