Obama jumping into NJ gubernatorial race at 11th hour is ‘desperate,’ voters sound off
President Barack Obama’s recent campaign efforts in New Jersey to support Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s race for governor have been characterized by some conservative voters as a “Hail Mary” pass that generated “fake excitement.” During a Turning Point Action rally in South Jersey on Monday afternoon, voters expressed frustration with Obama’s involvement in the race.
“I’ll say this as an African-American, we’re done hearing Barack Obama try to tell us how we’re supposed to vote,” New Jersey voter Shawn Crump told Fox News Digital. “Full disclosure, I was a Democrat. I worked on his campaign in 2008, and he just let us down. He let this country down, but he especially let down a lot of African-Americans. So we really don’t want to hear him tell us how we were supposed to go.”
Crump was part of a group of Republican voters who gathered in Medford, New Jersey, for a Turning Point Action rally aimed at mobilizing support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the final hours before Election Day. The rally, billed as a “Super Chase” event, featured local conservative leaders speaking before attendees went door-to-door to remind voters to submit their ballots. Ciattarelli did not attend this particular rally.
### Obama’s Presence and Trump’s Policies Dominate Final Campaign Events to Keep New Jersey Blue
Saturday evening saw Obama travel to Newark, New Jersey, where he joined Rep. Sherrill for a rally. New Jersey is traditionally a deep blue state but has occasionally elected Republican leaders, including former Governor Chris Christie in 2013 and voting for Republican President George H. W. Bush in 1988.
“Let’s face it, our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama told the crowd, taking aim at President Donald Trump’s administration. “It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and carelessness and mean-spiritedness. And just plain old craziness.”
### Sherrill Calls New Jersey a Democratic Stronghold, Rejects GOP Momentum
Republicans are energized by Trump’s inroads with Jersey voters in 2024. Trump narrowed his 2020 loss in the state from 16 points down to 6 points this election cycle, flipping five counties to the GOP.
Joe Sereday, chairman of the Burlington County Young Republicans, told Fox News Digital that voter enthusiasm for Ciattarelli is high. He also suggested that the Democrats’ reliance on big-name endorsements indicates vulnerability.
“I think it’s kind of old news now,” Sereday said. “Usually when the Democrats roll in these big names — Obama, Andy Kim, Cory Booker — it usually means they’re in trouble.” He added, “Usually when they bring in Obama and the wash-ups — hate to say some of the wash-ups — usually that means they’re desperate.”
### Obama’s Campaign Appearances Seen as a Last-Ditch Effort by Democrats
Cliff Maloney, CEO of Citizens Alliance and founder of campaign groups PA Chase and NJ Chase, described Obama’s presence in New Jersey as a desperate move from Democrats.
“I just think it’s all AstroTurf. I think it is fake excitement,” Maloney said during the rally, where he also spoke to encourage voter turnout. “They’re kind of just hyping things and trying to sensationalize it. Nobody’s excited about [Sherrill]. And that’s something you can’t fix. You can bring in Obama. You can bring in whoever.”
Maloney pointed out that despite New Jersey’s 800,000 voter registration advantage for Democrats, the race is surprisingly competitive.
“So win or lose, the fact that this is a place that Democrats have to spend resources, time, energy, and money — this is not even supposed to be a competitive race,” he added. “We’re in a dead heat right now. We’re in the game. This is a competitive race. And if Jack pulls this off, it will be an earth-shattering moment in the political world.”
### Voter Concerns Focus on Taxes, Energy Costs, and Social Issues
New Jersey’s notoriously high taxes and rising energy costs rank high on voters’ concerns. Additionally, issues such as protecting Christianity and truth in education are influencing opinions.
“My concerns are actually Christianity, people not being told the truth, obviously abortion and our children in schools — they need to learn things that are really truthful,” said Valerie, a local South Jersey voter. “I do feel like we are going to flip the state. I’m hoping that a lot of Republican voters come out and they don’t stay home, because if they do come out, I think we’ll win.”
Pastor Jeff Kliewer, another local voter, emphasized the significance of pro-life and homeschooling issues in the election.
“The pro-life issue is still huge,” Kliewer said. “It’s one of the biggest. And for us in New Jersey, a number of the pregnancy centers have been under attack by the Democratic machine under Phil Murphy, and it’s only going to get worse if they hold power.”
Kliewer also highlighted concerns about increased regulations on homeschooling families in New Jersey. “Although New Jersey has been one of the freest states for homeschooling, that might change if we don’t keep good people in office here,” he explained. “And taxes are at the top of most voters’ minds as they head to the polls.”
### Mobilization Efforts Ramp Up Ahead of Election Day
Noah Formica, a Turning Point Action field representative from Pennsylvania who traveled to New Jersey, described the “Super Chase” event as a community effort to increase voter contact and turnout.
“It’s a group of people getting together. They listen to a few speakers talking about action, and then we get directly involved in our communities,” Formica said. “Every single door that we knock, right here in New Jersey, makes all the difference. We have almost 60 people here, so if each person knocks 15 doors, imagine the impact that’ll make on a local race.”
As New Jersey voters head to the polls, both parties are investing heavily in what is shaping up to be an unexpectedly competitive gubernatorial race in the traditionally blue Garden State.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-jumping-nj-gubernatorial-race-11th-hour-desperate-voters-sound-off
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