GOP makes it clear their top target is Gopal

Vin Gopal is the top Republican target in next year’s mid-term legislative elections and the GOP has already begun their campaign to unseat him in the politically competitive 11th district.

Eighteen months before the next election, Senate Republicans are targeting Gopal with paid robocalls accusing the two-term Monmouth County Democrat of backing a plan to “teach our kids about masturbation and anal sex” in elementary school.

Script: “Hi, this is Amada from here in Monmouth County.  So, have you heard about the lesson plans Democrats are pushing in our schools?  The Democrats actually want to teach our kids about masturbation and anal sex – in our grade schools.  Monmouth County State Senator Vin Gopal has actually supported this.  It’s true.  Vin Gopal is the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, serving as a rubber stamp for Phil Murphy, the liberal teacher’s union, and the radicals trying to indoctrinate our kids.  Call Senator Vin Gopal at XXX-XXX-XXXX today and tell him to stand up for our kids.  That’s XXX-XXX-XXXX.  This call has been paid for by Senate Republican Majority.  XXX-XXX-XXXX.”

Gopal said the robocall “represents the worst of politics.”

“Anyone who would purposely continue to spread this misinformation is simply lying to parents about their children’s’ education,” Gopal said.  “In continuing to put forward to the public misinformation that schools want to teach grade school children explicit sexual content, the legislators and funders behind this dangerous robocall are prioritizing their own political gain over the needs of their constituents.”

But the sex education issue could be a strong one for Republicans as the look to regain the 11th district Senate seat in very-red Monmouth County.  It also marks a return to off-year aggression by the minority power, a signa that they

Gopal smacked some of his colleagues for a vote on Monday.

“It is telling that Republican Senators on the Education Committee yesterday voted against making our sex and health education curricula public information because the longer they can stop transparency, the more dangerous misinformation they can put out,” he said.  “New Jersey families deserve better.”

The early robocall represents a bid by Senate Republicans – their campaign committee paid for the robocall — to pick up seats in Murphy’s mid-term election, and a return to off-year aggression that existed when the minority party was in hot pursuit of the majority.  The new map gives the GOP a narrow path to a majority. 

Four years after he ousted a three-term GOP state senator, Gopal was re-elected by 2,682 votes, 52%-48%, in a district that saw Republicans pick up two State Assembly seats.

Legislative redistricting left the 11th relatively unchanged.

Republican Jack Ciattarelli won the old 11th by about 2,700 votes and the new won by roughly 1,650.  Gopal was the only Democratic lawmaker in the state to win a district that Murphy lost.

Republicans have not yet settled on a candidate.  Possible contenders include the two assemblywomen who ousted three-term Democratic incumbents last fall: Marilyn Piperno (R-Colts Neck) and Kim Eulner (R-Shrewsbury).  Other names being mentioned include County Commissioner Tom Arnone and County Clerk Christine Hanlon.