Here's the stories you'll be talking about on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show on Wednesday:

There was much talk about a resurgent red wave ahead of the November race for governor given how well Donald Trump did in last year's election for president.

Any red wave in New Jersey was short lived.

Progressive Democrat Mikie Sherrill easily won the race for governor. Socialist Zohran Mamdani won the race for New York City mayor in a landslide.

That trend continued in Jersey City last night as voters rejected the old guard Democratic party and elected a Socialist liberal to the office of mayor.

Former Governor Jim McGreevey was once considered a front-runner as he attempted a political comeback. He outspent councilman James Solomon 2-to-1 in this race and had the backing of much of the Democratic party machine.

As polls showed Solomon leading in the day's up Tuesday's election, many party bosses abandoned McGreevey and either endorsed Solomon or stayed neutral.

This sends yet another message that is troubling to many mainstream Democrats: the socialist faction of the party is taking over.

⬛ Comeback derailed: McGreevey looses Jersey City mayor race

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — James Solomon was elected mayor of Jersey City on Tuesday, thwarting former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey’s bid for a political comeback more than two decades after a scandalous resignation.

Addressing supporters who had gathered to watch returns and cheer him on, Solomon said: “Now the mission is clear, and the work begins tonight. And the work we have to do is making Jersey City affordable. So I say tonight, an affordable Jersey City starts now.”

Solomon, a city council member since 2017, defeated McGreevey in a runoff after they finished first and second in an initial round of voting Nov. 4. with seven candidates on the ballot. The city’s election is nonpartisan, but both men are Democrats.

At a gathering less than a mile away, McGreevey thanked supporters and congratulated Solomon on his victory.

Once considered the front runner, McGreevey ended up losing in a landslide to the progressive socialist Solomon 68% to 32%

⬛ It will cost you more to fill up at the pump in 2026

⛽ New Jersey’s gas tax will rise in 2026, adding 4.2 cents per gallon.
⛽ It's due to a $23.8M shortfall in the state Transportation Trust Fund.
⛽ NJ already ranks among the highest gas-tax states after major increases in 2016.

In life and New Jersey, nothing is certain except death and taxes.

The state gas tax is going up again for 2026.

For each gallon of gasoline, you'll pay an extra 49.1 cents in taxes. That's an increase of 4.2 cents per gallon from this year.

Diesel will see a similar increase. The gas tax for diesel trucks and pickups will be 56.1 cents.

The gas tax funds the state's Transportation Trust Fund. Under state law, the TTF must provide nearly $11 billion over the next five years for statewide transportation projects.

If less gasoline is consumed in New Jersey than projected, then the state will raise less revenue through the gas tax.

⬛ Could Trump get rid of income tax?

Imagine how much extra money you would have ever month if you didn't have to pay federal income taxes.

President Donald Trump suggested that could be the new reality, thanks to the "trillions of dollars" being generated by his controversial tarriffs.

Reuters reports Trump made the comments after a cabinet meeting and on a video call with U.S. military service members.

"Over the next couple of years, I think we'll substantially be cutting and maybe cutting out completely, but we'll be cutting income tax. Could be almost completely cutting it because the money we're taking in is going to be so large," Trump said.

Economists have raised questions about the viability of such a move, since the federal government get over 50% of its total revenue from income taxes.

⬛ Double-murder suspect fled to India — Murphy demanding return

✅ Accused double-murder suspect living in India, faces U.S. extradition push
✅ FBI offers $50,000 reward for info leading to arrest or conviction
✅ Gov. Phil Murphy is pressing India’s U.S. ambassador for extradition

MAPLE SHADE — A renewed push is exploding on two fronts to bring to justice the man accused of slaughtering a mother and her young son eight years ago.

Nazeer Hameed, a former New Jersey resident now living in India, was charged in November with two counts of first-degree murder in the savage stabbing deaths of 38-year-old Sasikala Narra and her 6-year-old son, Anish.

Burlington County Prosecutor Lachia Bradshaw has urged leaders in both Washington, D.C., and New Delhi to take “swift and decisive action” to return Hameed to New Jersey. Despite the charges, he remains in India, where he moved just six months after the killings.

To intensify the effort, the FBI has posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction, according to its Newark office.

Gov. Phil Murphy has now personally stepped in, pressing India’s ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Kwatra, to help push the extradition forward under the nations’ 1997 treaty.

⬛ Lab monkey escapes Mississippi crash and lands in a NJ zoo

🐒 Forrest, a rhesus macaque, escaped a Mississippi lab truck and was rescued after a week on the run.
🏞️ The monkey now has a permanent home in Forked River.
❤️ Supporters are invited to donate for his care, food, and enrichment this Giving Tuesday.

LACEY — An escaped lab monkey from Mississippi has found a new home in New Jersey.

The Popcorn Park Animal Refuge in Forked River has announced the arrival of Forrest, a rhesus macaque who was recovered after a transport vehicle crash on I-59 in Mississippi.

The truck was carrying 21 rhesus macaques for biomedical research when it crashed. Eight monkeys escaped, and five were killed during the initial search.

After a wild week on the run, Forrest was the last of three escapees to be safely recovered.

But since he’s been outside for an extended period of time, he is not able to return to the research facility.

So, now he has a new home at the Popcorn Park Zoo, a permanent sanctuary in Lacey Township, for displaced and neglected wildlife, farm animals, and exotic species.

Start your day with up-to-the-minute news, traffic and weather for the Garden State.

The New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show airs from 6 - 10 a.m. on New Jersey 101.5.

Join the conversation by calling 1-800-283-1015 or download the NJ101.5 app.

You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.