Listener supported WNYC Studios.

It's the Brian Laird Show onNYC. Welcome back, everybody.

I'm Matt Katz, filling in for Brian.

I used to be a reporter here at WNYC, where I spent many years covering New Jersey politics,

which is relevant given our next guest, Steve Sweeney.

Brian has been interviewing candidates on both sides of the very crowded

race for New Jersey governor. There are six major candidates on the Democratic side, three on the

Republican side. And of all of those, three of the nine of so far been on the show. And our next

interview is with one of the Democrats, Steve Sweeney of South Jersey, who was the longest ever serving president of the state Senate.

Senate president, it's been a long time.

Welcome back to WNYC.

It's a good talking to you again, Matt.

New Jersey listeners, do you have questions for Steve Sweeney, either about his record or his goals as governor?

This is your chance to chat with the candidate and get to learn more.

Give us a call, 212-433, W-N-YC, 212-433-9692. You can also text that number.

So I reported on you for many years in Trenton when you were the most powerful legislator in the

state, but you passed on running for governor, in Trenton when you were the most powerful legislator in the state,

but you passed on running for governor, I remember, back in 2017, Phil Murphy went on to win a

couple of terms. Then in 2021, you were shockingly defeated in your home district by a political

neophyte with almost no campaign cash named Ed Durr, aka Ed the trucker.

So why are you running for governor now? And tell us what you've been up to over the last four

years. Well, Matt, you know, what people forget is I was the only Democrat in a Republican

...