Staff Reports
As the political landscape in New Jersey heats up, the battle for the governor’s seat is showing some unexpected twists and turns. Jack Ciattarelli, a name that many might recall from his close race with Governor Murphy not too long ago, is again on the scene and he’s not counting himself out just yet. A recent Fox poll suggests there’s quite a tight race ahead. Despite this being a deep-blue state, there seems to be a glimmer of hope for Ciattarelli and his supporters.
Ciattarelli came remarkably close to toppling Governor Murphy in the last election, losing by just three points. Now, early polling indicates he’s holding strong against incumbent Democrat Mikie Sherrill. With energetic rallies and a focus on key issues, he’s gaining traction among voters fed up with rising taxes and cost of living. The fact that Democrats are somehow scoring higher on taxes in the polls than a Republican is a head-scratcher. One has to wonder what’s in the New Jersey water these days.
Amidst this electoral excitement, Ciattarelli is clear about his stance on energy. While Sherrill is off chasing windmills and green dreams, Ciattarelli is channeling common-sense energy policies, which are apparently favoring him in the latest polls. Some think it’s no surprise New Jersey voters are tired of forking over their hard-earned cash for soaring electric bills. The state’s previous energy independence has been buried under Governor Murphy’s less-than-stellar green policies. Of course, the only real green to speak of is the stuff leaving wallets faster than ever.
On another note, it seems the next generation might not be quite what today’s progressives were banking on. There are murmurs that Gen-Z, often pegged as the woke warriors of tomorrow, may actually be trending more conservative. With movements like Black Lives Matter and Me Too not quite delivering the sunny utopias promised, young folks are starting to ask the tough questions. Perhaps they’ve had enough of virtue signaling and are ready for a bit of reality-based leadership.
This generational shift could be the secret sauce needed to flip New Jersey’s political script. Seeing as even pundits over at CNN are beginning to notice the tide turn, it’s safe to say a new wave of skepticism is sweeping across the youth. This could definitely be a wild ride come election time, leaving Democratic candidates like Sherrill scrambling to appeal to an electorate that might, for once, not fit neatly into the predetermined boxes of identity politics. If Ciattarelli can capture this emerging sentiment, he just might pull off that upset everyone wrote off.
