NJ-GOV 2021 megathread

[Progressive Pessimist]

His campaign was actually worse than McAuliffe's, if you ask me.

Probably something to this considering Murphy actually fell farther from Biden 2020 than McAuliffe. About a 16 point rightward shift in NJ vs. a 12 point rightward shift in VA. Obviously both are horrendous, but Murphy seems to have been (barely) saved solely by the fact that NJ is a bit more Democratic than VA still.

Tbh, it doesn't look like Murphy really campaigned? Like I think they kind of wrote it off as if it was a sure-fire win, which I guess I don't blame them.

However, yeah, the headwinds for this particular race were not great for Murphy - he won by 14 in 2017, but that was with Trump as president, Christie approvals in the dumps (Guadagno attached to it). Meanwhile, Biden approvals low right now, nothing getting done, no Dem GOV has been re-elected in 40 years, Ciattarrelli actually spent a lot of $$$ on this race (I think their spending was actually even), and not to mention - didn't Rs do really good in the 2019 local races too?

I addressed some of this in a lengthy post on the last page. Yes to everything in a nutshell though.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I'm surprised nobody is entertaining the possibility that we could be headed for a recount territory. Maybe I'm being paranoid but given that Ciattarelli showed up at "Stop the Steal" rally, it seems quite possible that he refuses to concede if he ends up losing, and fires up Republican base.

The momentum will continue to put democracy in peril and also motivate Trump or Trump-like candidates to carry his torch in 2024. Close results above and beyond embarrassment are horrible for Democrats.

Yeah, this is a nightmare scenario. Maybe even worse than S***arelli winning outright.

But did he really appear at a "Stop the Steal" rally? During the primary I remember Hirsh Singh running against Ciatarelli stating that he said the election was "fair and legitimate."

Well, if he does go full Trumpist (as with Youngkin the 'moderate') I hope suburbanites regret it. I wish the worst on all of them.

https://twitter.com/PollProjectUSA/status/1455968108049420290?s=20

Perhaps the greatest example that you sometimes can beat somebody with Nobody

I would be infuriated by this if it wasn't Sweeney.

But really? His name is Durr on top of everything? That just adds to the comedic humiliation.

[Progressive Pessimist]

https://twitter.com/dontcurvemeplz/status/1455968148189065231

lol

Oh, so Sweeney lost to a deplorable deplorable. Amazing. This guy looks like a potential gold mine.

Yeah, maybe we can actually beat this guy in 2023 and take back the seat with someone better.

Until then he is our Don Blankenship pretty much.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Durr said he entered the race after being denied a concealed carry permit despite having a clean record. State campaign finance records show a slate of candidates including Durr raised more than $10,000 during their campaign but spent only $153: $66.64 at Dunkin to buy food and drinks for staff and $86.67 for paper flyers and business cards.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/truck-driver-leads-nj-senate-president-after-spending-153-on-campaign/3030225/

LOL

He's a living stereotype.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I wish I could say that I'm glad this is over, but I'm not, because it isn't over. New Jersey is going to have election conspiracy theorists descend upon it over these next few weeks. I'm certain of it.
I just hope that when those Biden-Ciatarelli/other Republican supporters see these people and their obnoxious shirts in the fields of the state that they immediately lament ever even slightly associating with them. But then again, I overestimated the voting public yet again, and I thought I had learned this time and kept my expectations grounded.

I thought I would be able to take solace in my state and my fellow residents of it. But I can't. This was a disaster in every way, and even with Murphy winning and transcending the Democratic incumbent Governor curse, since the Republicans basically won everything else. What's worse is that I feel responsible. I, just like the New Jersey Democratic Party, got complacent even while tempering my expectations for the typical GOP overperformance in off-years. I could have done more. I should have done more since I actually live in a state with what turned out to be a competitive election. Hell, I couldn't even get my sister vote. I said her vote would matter but she didn't believe me. I guess I at least got some vindication in that sense. And while we're talking incredibly minor, barely qualifying as silver linings: I am actually surprised now that Murphy won Somerset after all (if it holds). I guess that county really is gone for the GOP, especially with it being S***arelli's home. So Democrats still have some benefit from the polarization in this country in the form of locked-in support from educated suburbanites...certainly not enough that are reliable sure-bets though, also looking at Virginia. That's the most startling theme of last night's miserable events. The Democratic Party is going to become extinct because we cannot figure out what Americans want, what they care about, and what they remember. Much of that is on us, but I'm not absolving the average voter of their guilt either, we should expect some rationality, right? Well, I in particular, am not anymore.

The term "Murphy's Law' is poetically accurate to what transpired here in the Garden State and elsewhere. I now have a worse opinion of my home.