The race for mayor of Jersey City started with seven candidates and is now down to two -- former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey and Jersey City Councilman James Solomon.

The Democrats will take part in a runoff election on Dec. 2 after none of the candidates were able to get 50% of the vote on Election Day. According to The Associated Press, Solomon ended up with a little more than 29%, while McGreevey received a shade over 25%.

There is no early voting for the runoff, but there is a vote by mail. The deadline to request a ballot is a week before the election.

Solomon forms alliance, McGreevey stands his ground

Three former mayoral candidates are now endorsing Solomon, who calls himself the more progressive Democrat in the race.

"Jim McGreevey has taken nearly $1 million from real estate developers here in Jersey City, some of the same developers who have received sweetheart deals, but he has also been funded by the same developers who fund Donald Trump, particularly we are talking about Charles Kushner," Solomon said.

McGreevey responded to accusation that he is supported by the Make America Great Again movement and is not good for Jersey City.

"That is nuts and the first thing to understand is that Councilman Solomon has been here for the past eight years, and while he's been here for the past eight years Jersey City has had among the highest property taxes increases in the state of New Jersey [and] rents have gone up among the highest in the nation," McGreevey said. "And in addition to that, not one affordable housing unit has been built in Jersey City under James Solomon's watch."

Three-term Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who ran for governor and lost in the primary, has not endorsed any of the candidates but has spoken favorably of McGreevey, CBS News New York's Christine Sloan reported.  

"I was born a Democrat ... and I'll die as a Democrat"

Musab Ali, who was on the ballot for mayor on Nov. 4, attacked McGreevey on Thursday.

"He resigned as the governor in disgrace," Ali said.

McGreevey stepped down in 2004 after admitting to an affair with a man he named to head the state Department of Homeland Security. He said he has redeemed himself by working with a prison re-entry program and has the endorsement of Jersey City Council President Joyce Watterman, who is another former mayoral candidate.

McGreevey said linking him to President Trump is just a distraction.

"I was born a Democrat, baptized at St. Patrick's, and I'll die a Democrat," McGreevey said.

Solomon and McGreevey on the pressing issues

Solomon said he is the one who'll make Jersey City more affordable.

"We need to make sure we are building genuinely affordable homes, some with $1,000 a month and under. We need to cap rent increases and we need to stabilize property taxes," Solomon said.

Both candidates say they'll fight crime.

"We have a plan to hire 100 new officers and get those officers out on the beat walking in the communities, building trust," Solomon said.

"I would increase the number of police officers and return to community policing. My grandfather was a police officer, my uncle, and part of it is to walk the beat," McGreevey said.