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. Dan and Alex are both experienced strategists who are currently in the room where high-level decisions are made. They will get together weekly with New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein to discuss politics and issues.
New Jersey Globe: Monmouth University released a poll this week showing that the development of offshore wind has become a hugely partisan issue: Democrats are for it, Republicans oppose it, and independents are split. And voters are divided on whether wind turbines are contributing to mammal deaths. How will this poll affect competitive legislative races coming up in November?
Dan Bryan: Here’s just a partial list of things that have become “partisan” solely because the far-right wing decided they didn’t like them: wind power, masks, nature, Bud Light, Sesame Street, Frosted Flakes, Disney, and Target.
Simply put, if the conservative media apparatus decides to turn on something, that thing will become unpopular among Republicans. That isn’t the fault of wind power, which, I’d like to point out, is still wildly popular among Democrats (+57) and +11 with independents (I wouldn’t call that “split”, David…).
The vast majority of the drop in overall popularity was among Republicans, whose support went from 69% to 28% after being fed a steady stream of misinformation and negative campaigning against wind energy. And they weren’t voting for Democrats anyway.
So let’s phrase this another way: there’s an economic initiative that polls at +14 among all adults in New Jersey, +57 among Democrats, and +11 among Independents. Oil companies and Republicans, two groups that tend not to support Democratic candidates, don’t like it. This issue creates jobs, makes New Jersey a manufacturing hub, spurs economic activity, and helps save the planet. That seems like an issue to run on, not from.
Alex Wilkes: I think it fits into an overall narrative that the Murphy Administration and Democrats in Trenton are simply moving too quickly towards extreme ideas that don’t fit into people’s everyday lives.
Want a public education in New Jersey? Ok, but we’re going to make your third grader learn about anal sex. Want to buy a car? Ok, but it has to be electric and we don’t have the power supply to back it up. Want to go green? Ok, but you have to give a giant corporate bailout for foreign companies with dubious technology putting structures as taller than the Eiffel Tower right along our beautiful shoreline.
New Jerseyans have already demonstrated a high tolerance for the Democrats’ BS here: a ridiculously high cost of living, Senators more interested in Barbie movie cosplay and beating their second (!) federal corruption trial than they are in governing.
One-party rule under an effete, out-of-touch Governor has produced some truly weird outcomes and people are tired of it.
NJ Globe: The Biden administration put Atlantic City International Airport on a list of places where thousands of migrants seeking asylum currently in New York City could be temporarily housed. State Sen. Vince Polistina wants Governor Murphy to tell President Biden no. What’s the best way for New Jersey to handle this?
Alex: In his day-late, feeble pushback to the Biden Administration, Governor Murphy showcased the liberals’ glaring NIMBYism on this issue. When they’re not confronted with the realities our border states face every day with illegal crossings, far-left politicians like Murphy are all too happy to embrace all kinds of generosity on our dime. Sanctuary cities, drivers licenses, work permits, free healthcare for everyone! I guess it’s much different when it’s an election year, and you and Joe Biden are drags on the ticket.
One other thought: what exactly is happening in the Biden political operation? Sandbagging Murphy in an election year with yet another blow after approving congestion pricing and canceling the Bergen Light Rail extension means that they’re either extremely vindictive about his ill-fated presidential aspirations or just incompetent. Neither bodes well for Democrats in all 40 districts looking to avoid messes such as these like the plague.
Dan: Governor Murphy addressed this on Ask the Governor this week – he made it clear that he hasn’t heard from anyone in DC on this, and that his position is that New Jersey would need far more resources than we currently have to handle a situation like this.
But regardless of the facts, I look forward to Republican candidates adding this to the issues they’re fixating on because they have no plan of any substance to run on. If they can find some time after demonizing vulnerable children, lying about school policies, fighting green energy projects, and hyperventilating about this, I’d love to hear their plan for running New Jersey!
NJ Globe: President Biden’s age could be an obstacle to his re-election; a new poll this week says 77% of Americans believe Biden is too old. For the second time this summer, Senator McConnell froze up and was unable to speak on Wednesday. Senator Feinstein, who is 90, has faced a series of health issues and still has sixteen months left in term. At what point should there be a serious national conversation about better ways to deal with uncomfortable issues like age?
Dan: I’m more concerned with the presidential candidate that failed at every aspect of the job, demonized black and brown people, disgraced the Oval Office, and instigated a violent coup attempt after he lost reelection. I think a candidate’s age is fair game, but this election is far bigger. If Biden were twice his age, I’d vote for him over a dangerous sociopath like Donald Trump.
This election is going to be pivotal – we can either end the Trump era for good, or we can end America as we know it. Personally, I’m going to keep my eye on the prize and refuse to get caught up in any sideshows.
Alex: I think as Gen X, Millennials, and Zoomers eclipse the Boomers in terms of population and their share of the electorate, these issues are going to naturally sort themselves out. The country is already starting to raise these concerns across the political spectrum, and as older generations work and live longer, these will be conversations that we start to have in our own lives — to be frank. It’s certainly not an easy subject to broach in either public or private life, but I do think you are seeing it happen.
That being said, I would much rather be the Republicans with their relatively young, diverse bench brimming with public and private sector experience that we saw on display last week at the debate. I can’t really say I know of many young, fresh-faced Democratic faces lighting the world on fire, by contrast.
NJ Globe: I called a municipal clerk’s office this week to ask what date a mayor withdrew from his re-election campaign, and rather than just giving me the information, I was told to file an OPRA request. I found it absurd that somehow public officials won’t answer basic questions without a formal request and ten business days, if I’m lucky, to respond. Please tell me if I’m wrong.
Alex: Your tax dollars at work! One time I was told by the City of Newark that I would need to wait for my OPRA request to be loaded onto a USB drive by a supervisor who was on a 2-week vacation. If we want to have a talk about modernizing government and rooting out inefficiencies, I’m all ears!
Dan: I understand your frustration, but I get where the Clerk is coming from. Government employees are terrified of the press – there is far more downside than upside in dealing with them. And rather than have someone second guess their decision to give information to a journalist, they’d rather you fill out an OPRA form.
I’m not saying that’s right – it’s cumbersome, and it slows down even routine inquiries. But I get it! They’re a civil servant, working toward a pension and trying to stay out of trouble. And honestly, I’m not sure most journalists wouldn’t do the same things if the roles were reversed.
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