Matt Arco, a sharp political journalist who doggedly covered governors, presidents, and presidential candidates for NJ Advance Media for more than a decade, died suddenly of natural causes Wednesday, his family said. He was 39.
Deeply sourced, eager to sniff out hypocrisy, and beloved by colleagues, friends, and family, Arco was technically the first reporter hired by NJ Advance Media β the company that provides content to NJ.com and The Star-Ledger β in 2014.
He quickly became a force at the Statehouse bureau, emerging as one of the most respected reporters covering the colorful and dramatic world of New Jersey politics.
Arco was the news organizationβs top reporter chronicling Gov. Chris Christieβs administration and became one of the nationβs go-to journalists on the high-profile Republican, detailing his town halls and presidential campaign stops from New Hampshire to Iowa.
βThat meant covering him every single day until he left office and then some,β Arco said in 2024.
After Christie launched his second bid for president in 2023, Arco produced a must-read New Jersey Advance Media newsletter that gave readers an in-depth account of how the ex-governor tried to topple his former friend Donald Trump.
Life is unfair. Matt Arco died at just 39. Our hearts are broken. He was so sweet. So good. https://t.co/LMIkj9Aci4
— Natalie Paterson (@IamNPaterson) May 1, 2025
