"New Jersey Democrats are looking to the state’s high cost of living as they campaign to keep the legislative majorities they’ve held in both chambers for two decades.

Since they unexpectedly lost one Senate and six Assembly seats in 2021, Democrats have moved to expand state tax relief programs and create new ones aimed at the state’s seniors, and they’re leaning on those programs as Republicans, who are closer now to majorities than they’ve been in 15 years, look to expand on recent legislative gains.

Those programs include Anchor, a property tax relief program that sends checks of up to $1,500 to New Jersey homeowners and $450 to renters, and the recently enacted — but still nascent — StayNJ program, which seeks to cut seniors property tax bills in half, to a cap of $6,500.

Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-Somerset), who represents the 16th District, one of the state’s most competitive, is a prime sponsor of the latter program.

“I don’t think anyone has claimed the battle’s over. No one has claimed victory on an issue in New Jersey that’s been going on for decades, but we’ll find out whether people feel meaningful progress has been made, and that’s what elections are about,” Freiman said.

Lawmakers have also increased the size of Anchor awards for residents 65 and older by $250

“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting with seniors around the state in town halls where we’ve discussed StayNJ, expanded Anchor benefits for seniors, and increased assistance for prescription drugs,” Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said in a statement. “We listened to seniors and set priorities to address the issues that mattered most to them. They want to remain in the communities they built, near the families they love, with affordable health care.”

The economic focus could be a boon for Democrats, as taxes and other economic conditions routinely rank as voters’ top priority, said Ashley Koning, director of Rutgers University’s Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. All 120 legislative seats are on the ballot this year.

But it remains unclear whether that focus will translate into electoral success with Assembly and Senate seats at the top of the ballot, especially given that economic messaging has been rarer from candidates on both sides this year than it was in past contests. "

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