200+ supporters gathered this morning at the ‘Joe Kyrillos for U.S. Senate’ campaign headquarters in Middletown, Monmouth County for a “grand” open house. And grand it was!
Not a bad turnout at all for a 70 degree, sunny, Saturday at the Jersey Shore in mid-April, Save Jerseyans!
State Senator Sam Thompson (R-Middlesex) was on hand to introduce Senator Kyrillos. Monmouth GOP Chair Joe Oxley also lent a few words of encouragement to the assembled crowd. Other state, county and local officials filled out the packed room standing shoulder-to-shoulder with eager future phone bankers; dueling NJ-6 GOP hopefuls, Ernesto Cullari (R-Asbury Park) and Anna Little (R-Highlands) were eagerly working the crowd and both primary candidates earned a public acknowledgment during Senator Kyrillos’s remarks.
The overall mood? Genuinely optimistic. While most attendees remained realistic about the challenges facing a Republican statewide challenger in a presidential cycle, supporters were quick to point out that electing a Republican governor in 2009 once seemed equally improbable. Fair point! The Senator, his staff and surrogates also cited this week’s strong fundraising report and surprise Q poll (showing a significantly tightening race) as tangible reasons for optimism.
A few more smart phone photos:
We also have a brief video interview with Ernesto Cullari for you in the queue, Save Jerseyans, in addition to audio/video of Senator Thompson, Senator Kyrillos and the other speakers.
Check back later for more coverage…
joe kyrillos will never win state-wide. menendez will win by more than ten points. blue jersey ain't changing and you can claim otherwise until your blue in the face matt.
This was a good use of your saturday…
Why do you think Mendendez deserves to be re-elected US Senator from NJ?
joe is a good man. joe can win but he's going to need a lot more dough! menendez still has like 8M more!!
I still want someone to tell me all the reasons why Mendndez should be re-elected!
So out of all the people who go to savejersey.com not one person can give me a reason to vote for Menendez? Pathetic!
never said he deserved to be re-elected, champ. can't do it without bling.