During the New Jersey primary on Monday, President Trump urged voters to take action, highlighting that early voting was starting the next day. He expressed that the state is ready for a shift after years of Democratic leadership.
Trump, who often spends time at his golf club in Bedminster, endorsed Jack Ciattarelli last month. Ciattarelli, a former state legislator, has changed from being a critic to a supporter of Trump.
On the day of the rally, Trump hosted a ten-minute phone call focusing on candidates. He emphasized that the voters would choose whether New Jersey would continue to be a “high-tax, high-crime sanctuary state.”
“New Jersey is ready to jump out of that blue horror show and vote for someone who really gets there and makes things happen,” Trump stated.
His reminders about early voting reflected the message he’s been promoting for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
If elected, Ciattarelli promised that his first executive order would aim to end the sanctuary city policies, which currently limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration agents. The New Jersey Attorney General has directed local police not to assist federal authorities in immigration matters.
Sanctuary city policies are somewhat ambiguous legally but generally aim to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Ciattarelli also mentioned that, should he win, his appointed attorney general would avoid suing the White House, contrasting with the current Attorney General, who is involved in multiple high-profile conflicts with Trump’s administration.
In the Republican race, Ciattarelli faces challenges from several candidates, including Bill Spadea, Jon Bramnick, Mario Kranjac, and Justin Barbera.
Early voting runs from Tuesday to Sunday, with the main voting day set for June 10th. Voters have already been submitting mail-in ballots since late April.
Though the primary is still ongoing, Ciattarelli has criticized his eventual Democratic opponent, asserting that the party’s extended control in both the governor’s office and Congress has not benefited the state.
The Democratic field is taking shape with candidates like Josh Gottheimer, Miki Cheryl, Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Sean Spiller, head of the teachers’ union.
New Jersey leans Democratic, particularly in presidential and Senate elections, with about an 800,000-voter registration advantage over Republicans. However, independents play a significant role, often switching between Democratic and Republican leadership.
