Well for political candidates in new Jersey, September means locking in to their campaigns and kicking the race into high gear.

All 12 of New Jersey's congressional seats are on the ballot this fall, but it's a race that's still one year away that's got everyone talking.

With two highly likely yet undeclared candidates crisscrossing the state to start clearing a path for the governor's seat.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan takes a look.

On the campaign trail.

Incumbent Josh Gottheimer stood before a mountain of road salt to promote fully restoring a different kind of salt state and local tax deductions.

We have to bring the full salt shaker back and give families a tax cut.

Meanwhile, incumbent Mikie Sherrill gathered officials in woodland Park to discuss her bill aimed at promoting gun storage safety in the wake of last Wednesday's mass shooting at Appalachia High School in Georgia.

Just having to unlock a gun safe can be a strong deterrent from actually picking up the gun and pressing the trigger.

They've been crisscrossing the state.

They've been around building up chits with other Democratic candidates, you know, supporting them.

Rider's Michael Rasmussen says these campaigns are doing double duty while both congressional incumbents stump for reelection and their relatively safe Democratic districts.

They're also both eyeing the governor's office.

It's a delicate political dance they can't declare yet.

They don't want to declare.

They don't want to get into this situation where, they've got, you know, expenses for the House race that would come up against their top in the governor's race.

So they are trying to keep that line of separation between their two campaigns.

Sherrill 's bill would require gun shops to offer secure storage and safety information and tax credits of up to $500 for those who buy a gun safe.

It's an issue that resonates well beyond her district.

My opinion is there's no reason why someone buying a new gun cannot be given a trigger lock.

At the same time, you are making sure that you are helping to avoid mass shootings.

Me, as a Montclair mom, telling people to securely store their firearms is not going to cut it.

That's why I'm trying to do legislation and mandate it.

But she's made no secret of her grander political ambitions.

Can we look forward to your candidacy for governor?

I'm strongly considering that.

But in the meantime, you can look forward to my candidacy for the 11th district of New Jersey.

Sherrill just released her first campaign video, a seven figure TV and digital ad buy that doesn't even mention her opponent, Mikie Sherrill.

Her patriotism runs deep.

Her optimism.

It's relentless.

Go boldly.

New Jersey forward with Democrat Mikie Sherrill.

You'll notice that her TV commercials are geared toward name recognition.

They're geared toward positive, name I.D..

They're not necessarily geared specifically toward the House race.

It's a sore point with Sherrill 's 11th district Republican challenger, Joe Burnham, a solid Trump supporter who accuses Cheryl of being distracted by a bigger political goal.

My opponent, Mikey Cheryl, is busy planning her next political move, eyeing the governor's seat while our district is left behind.

Gottheimer, meanwhile, debuted a new website to solicit taxpayer comments on the Salt deductions, which Republicans have promised to extend past their expiration date next year.

It's an issue that carries well beyond the fifth Congressional District across new Jersey, which has the highest property taxes in the nation.

The moocher states, these ruby red states, they're trying to stick it to us again.

And we're not going to let them.

They're trying to extend the 2017 tax hike bill and keep our taxes higher.

That's what the red states are trying to do.

And we're not going to allow it.

Both candidates would arrive late to a gubernatorial primary contest already crowded with candidates, including Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Rahs Baraka, Sean Spiller, President of the NJEa of Thunder of NJ Spotlight News, and former state Senate president Stephen Sweeney.

Timing is everything.

Neither Gottheimer nor Sherrill are likely to announce campaigns for governor before the November election, but afterwards, the countdown kicks in to the June primary in 2025.

In Woodland Park, I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.