By Matt Rooney
_
I hear you, Save Jerseyans. One of the most common questions I’ve gotten from readers over the past few weeks is WHY President Trump has gone after Democrat governors in Pennsylvania, Michigian, and Virginia, but not New Jersey.
–
The answer is simple (though perhaps unsatisfying): the electoral college.
We know my Murphy is kissing Trump’s ass; he’s hoping for a giant federal bailout to avoid laying off public sector union employees.
Trump is playing for Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Virginia in November.
New Jersey? I’d love nothing more than a surprise Trump win here, folks. I really would. The reality is that a Republican hasn’t carried our Garden State since 1988 and there’s no indication at the moment that the Donald will break the streak.
Trump’s campaign WOULD very much like to continue using footage of Murphy in campaign ads saying things like POTUS was there for New Jersey “in our darkest hour of need” (an actual quote from their recent White House sit-down). It helps inoculate the President against criticism of his own COVID-19 response. You’ll note hes’ been much more careful with how his handles Cuomo, too, for similar reasons. Cuomo has the added benefit of being a national “name.”
In fact? Murphy, Cuomo, New Mexico’s Michelle Grisham and California’s Gavin Newsom were all featured in an April 29th Trump campaign video:
I know. You’re disappointed. I am, too.
But the President is playing a high stakes game at the moment, and alienating blue state governors willing to say nice things about him in front of the cameras just isn’t part of his plan to win.
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the calvary to arrive either in the form a DOJ lawsuit or a Trump tweet smackdown. We’re on our own for the time being.
_
