Stomping Grounds: Fulop and Ciattarelli ads, Trump as Pope, and Matt Arco

New Jerseyans aren’t always civil, but it’s still possible for a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican to have a rational and pleasant conversation about politics in the state. Dan Bryan is a former senior advisor to Gov. Phil Murphy and is now the owner of his own public affairs firm, and Alex Wilkes is an attorney and former executive director of America Rising PAC who advises Republican candidates in New Jersey and across the nation, including the New Jersey GOP. Dan and Alex are both experienced strategists who are currently in the room where high-level decisions are made. They get together weekly with New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein to discuss politics and issues.

Steve Fulop is pledging an $18/hour minimum wage and promises to open Trenton’s books.  What do you think of his ad?

Alex Wilkes: Minimum wage hikes are a tax on small businesses every day of the week and twice on Sundays. And pairing it with any kind of “credit” plan should be met with healthy skepticism given the Stay New Jersey promises that quickly fell apart after Election Day once the Democrats admitted there was no stable funding mechanism to deliver the goods.

Dan Bryan: I’m sure there are more details on what “open Trenton’s books” means, but I haven’t been able to find them, so I’ll let that be.

I think a higher minimum wage in New Jersey makes a lot of sense, if it’s done the right way. We’re living through a cost of living crisis, and no one is hit harder than working and lower-middle class families. If we can raise their household wages without burdening small businesses, it means less pain and suffering for those looking for a pathway to the middle class and an economic boon for the rest of the state’s economy. Higher wages for working families is always a good thing.

Republicans are betting that rising utility costs will be a top concern to New Jersey voters when they elect a new governor in November, and Jack Ciattarelli is already on the air with a TV ad pledging to replace key Board of Public Utilities officials.  Is Ciattarelli right? Will utility costs be a major issue?

Dan: Affordability is a major issue, but politicians play to the lowest common denominator at their peril.

Affordability in New Jersey means far more than just lower taxes and utility bills (though it does mean those things). It means healthcare that doesn’t bankrupt families, childcare that young families can afford, housing at a reasonable cost, college tuition that doesn’t require massive student loans. Those are the cost drivers that seriously hinder young families, and they’re the ones Republicans tend to totally ignore.

Democrats can win on affordability if they talk about it the way actual New Jerseyans talk about it, rather than how the conventional political wisdom tells them to.

Alex: Absolutely. Once New Jerseyans recover from their summer cooling bills, they’re going to be pretty angry with the election around the corner just in time to turn on the heat. Democrats are scrambling for quick fixes here, but even they know they can’t sell their (laughable) affordability message while everyone’s energy bills are going through the roof. The bottom line is that while Phil Murphy nursed his presidential ambitions and vowed to make New Jersey the “California of the East,” he focused exclusively on windmills and unproven technology rather than delivering real cost savings and diversified solutions to ratepayers. What we have now is the end result of Phil’s folly, and Democrats will have to answer for green-lighting his radical agenda all the way.

Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photo on his Truth Social site depicting himself as the next Pope; the White House then shared it on official social media accounts.   Was this a good idea?  And what should best practices be for official accounts using AI photos?

Alex: I can’t condone it (too much Catholic guilt if I do), but the crowd raising criticisms is largely made up of people who would be supportive of desecrating Christianity under any other circumstances, so I find that hypocrisy to be much more contemptible.

But this is why Donald Trump has confounded the left for years—and still does. He blends seamlessly into the popular zeitgeist in authentic ways that other politicians simply cannot accomplish. I mean, what other public figure was urging Robert Pattinson to dump his two-timing ex, Kristen Stewart, in 2012? It’s exactly why he could sit for 2 hours unedited of Joe Rogan, while Kamala couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag.

Just this week, Josh Gottheimer also used AI: to give himself a six-pack in a match-up with Donald Trump. Hard cringe. Why doesn’t it work? Because everyone’s seen the Donald at Wrestlemania for years, shaving Vince McMahon’s head, becoming part of the storyline, and – most importantly – greeting supporters and being an authentic fan of the content. Non-AI Josh Gottheimer looks like somebody you’d ask to fetch you a soda at one of these events. By contrast, the Pope image worked for the President because everyone knows that Donald Trump thinks he can run any enterprise – from construction projects to the Vatican – in the best, most incredible way possible. You will never get tired of winning! Josh Gottheimer, on the other hand? He needs a miracle.

Dan: Here’s the only silver lining in the Trump era: we never have to listen to histrionic morality policing from the right ever again. Just remember how they responded when President Trump stripped every ounce of dignity, respect, and morality from the Oval Office, and go about your day.

Veteran NJ.com reporter Matt Arco died suddenly last week at the way-too-young age of 39.  What’s the best way for New Jerseyans to remember him and honor his legacy?

Dan: It’s an unfathomable loss. My prayers are with his family, friends, and those that knew him best.

Matt was part of the fabric of New Jersey politics and government for over a decade, in the middle of every big news story from Bridgegate to Covid. He and Brent Johnson were New Jersey’s tag team champs, having perfected their good cop/bad cop routine long before the Murphy administration took office.

Matt was a fearless interviewer, unafraid to ask hard questions to powerful politicians and staffers alike. He traveled with Governors to places like Israel, Germany, New Hampshire and India. His presence always made a trip or a press conference feel important – if Matt was there, you

Mostly, I’ll remember Matt for his humanity. As much as we fought (and to be clear, we fought like hell), he was always quick to joke around and connect on a personal level. Matt was a genuine person, and you always knew how much he cared about the work he did and the people he knew. I’ll miss him.

Alex: This was so shocking and so profoundly sad, and my heart goes out to all of Matt’s family, friends, and colleagues. It is truly sobering to see someone not much older than yourself pass suddenly. When a lot of the reporting class that had come up under Governor Christie’s tenure moved on to new outlets and beats, Matt stayed behind to do what few are willing to do (or support): cover a state with 9.5 million people in it (crazy idea, right?). I can only hope that his legacy will be lived out through a revival of journalism here that serves the public and keeps our leaders honest.