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Democrats Bet Voters Don’t Hate Covid Restrictions

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“Republican Jack Ciattarelli bet that New Jersey voters would view Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s policies on masks, vaccines and other Covid-19 restrictions as a prime example of government overreach and rule by fiat,” Politico reports.

“But with the Delta variant lingering, it’s Murphy who’s gone on a Covid-19 offensive, attacking Ciattarelli’s laissez faire positions on face coverings in schools and vaccine freedom as out-of-step with Garden State voters.”

“As New Jersey’s gubernatorial race enters its final month, Murphy is relying on a similar playbook to the one that helped California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom fend off a recall challenge last month. The governor, the only state executive up for reelection this year, is taking direct shots at opponents of economic lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions. Democrat Terry McAuliffe is doing much the same as he tries to reclaim the governorship in Virginia.”

Phil Murphy Plans Swing to Left In New Jersey

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Washington Post: “On Tuesday, when he is sworn in, New Jersey will become one of just eight states where Democrats run every branch of government. If Murphy has his way, New Jersey will become a proving ground for every liberal policy idea coming into fashion, from legalized marijuana to a $15 minimum wage, from a “millionaire’s tax” to a virtual bill of rights for undocumented immigrants.”

“Undergirding all of it: automatic voter registration, early voting and the right to register with a political party as late as Election Day.”

“Murphy’s moves could resonate in other states. Republicans, who control 33 governor’s mansions, are defending 26 of them in this year’s midterm elections. The prospect of New Jersey shifting to the left, smack in the middle of the nation’s largest media market, strikes Republicans as an opportunity to warn voters in swing states of what could happen if Democrats take power.”

Politico: Enter the anti-Christie.

Murphy Wins In New Jersey

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Phil Murphy (D) is projected to win the New Jersey governor’s race defeating Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (R), who struggled to gain traction in the race.

Newark Star Ledger: “Murphy’s victory over Guadagno, Christie’s lieutenant governor, will usher in a new era of Democratic rule in the Garden State after eight years of Christie, a once-popular Republican who saw his approval rating plummet to historic lows in recent years. “

Murphy Looks Headed for Landslide in New Jersey

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A new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey finds Phil Murphy (D) with a huge lead over Kim Guadagno (R) in the race for governor, 57% to 37%.

Said pollster Peter Brown: “Politics is a team game. Guadagno’s GOP teammates — President Trump, with a 33% job approval rating, and Gov. Chris Christie, with his 15% approval rating — are clearly pulling her down.”

Murphy Leads for New Jersey Governor

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A new Monmouth poll in New Jersey finds Phil Murphy (D) currently holds a 14 point lead over Kim Guadagno (R) among likely voters in the race for governor, 51% to 37%.

Said pollster Patrick Murray: “This is not the twenty-something point lead that some polls have been showing, but it is still formidable. While Guadagno may have an opportunity to break through, the fact that Murphy’s support is over 50 percent makes that task very difficult.”

RNC Insider Suggests Guadagno Is Being Punished

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“An insider within the RNC’s top leadership — who declined to speak for attribution because such appointees serve at the pleasure of the president — said the New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno’s (R) dire national fundraising situation stems as much from her double digit lag in recent polls as her public criticism of both the president and the governor,” according to the Newark Star Ledger.

Said the RNC insider: “The president is unhappy with anyone who neglected him in his hour of need,” referring to Guadagno’s public disavowal of Donald Trump after a 2005 Access Hollywood video of Trump surfaced showing him making crude, sexually aggressive statements.

Murphy Holds Huge Lead In New Jersey

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A new Monmouth poll in New Jersey finds Phil Murphy (D) with a daunting 27 point lead over Kim Guadagno (R) in the race for governor, 53% to 26%.

Said pollster Patrick Murray: “Party labels are the primary driver behind this early reading of the race since very few voters really know much about either candidate. It is not clear whether Guadagno’s fortunes will improve as voters learn more about her current role as lieutenant governor considering how unpopular Chris Christie is right now.”

Christie Vows to Referee Election to Replace Him

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Charles Stile: “Outgoing governors tend to fade into the background as they round the final lap of their tenure. And as a general rule, they tend to lend at least tacit support for the next standard bearer of their own party or refrain from making overt criticism.”

“Not Christie so far. The self-anointed truth teller is vowing to suit up in a referee’s zebra stripes and call out the candidates if he believes they are trying to ‘hoodwink’ the public with reckless or unrealistic promises.”

Said Christie: “I’m going to referee this stuff and if people are making irresponsible claims, I’m going to let the public know what to expect as a result.”

Joe Piscopo Mulls Bid for New Jersey Governor

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New York Times: “While the daily whiplash out of Washington commands almost all the political attention, New Jersey is one of two states that will elect a new governor this year, as the eight-year reign of Gov. Chris Christie, once a national darling and now with historically low approval in his home state, comes to an end. And Mr. Piscopo is hoping to parlay his Jersey credentials and rising political profile — he campaigned for President Trump, and his radio show focuses on conservative politics — into a long-shot bid for governor as either a Republican or an independent in a state where Democratic voters vastly outnumber Republicans.”

“For the moment, the seriousness of Mr. Piscopo’s potential run remains shrouded in a statewide listening tour of sorts — meetings with union leaders, industry experts and elected officials, sprinkled with the occasional keynote at Republican county dinners or cable news appearances. If he decides to jump into the Republican primary, he has an April 3 filing deadline.”

Christie’s Lieutenant Governor Goes Rogue

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Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (R) staked her independence from Gov. Chris Christie (R) , “in a highly public break with the governor who had plucked her from relative obscurity to serve as his running mate,” Politico reports.

“Christie and Guadagno racked up impressive margins sharing the ticket in 2009, and again in 2013, but have seldom appeared in public together in recent years… In a radio interview on Thursday morning, Guadagno went public with their breach, contradicting the administration’s position on a major ballot measure by suggesting voters can blow up a hard-won $16 billion infrastructure plan by opposing the amendment.”



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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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