By Matt Rooney
_
Republicans got their teeth kicked in last night in Georgia, Save Jerseyans, and likely lost the U.S. Senate for at least two years. Loeffler is done. Perdue is down 0.4-points; a recount is possible but unlikely to change the final result. Half of the party’s talking heads and activists are blaming Donald Trump. The other half are pointing the finger at McConnell, the candidates themselves, the Media, etc. I’m sure you can guess where I come down.
The GOP is officially in civil war mode. It’s been about 40 years in the making.
–
New Jersey’s GOP primary may prove one of the early fields of combat for the internal battles to come. On the same day as the ill-fated runoffs down in Dixie, Republican gubernatoral candidate Doug Steinhardt released an online video doubling-down on his criticism of primary opponent Jack Ciattarelli for his statements regarding Donald Trump (to summarize, Ciattarelli strongly opposed Trump in 2016 like many Republicans but has since moderated his position; Steinhardt says it’s an example of flip-flopping).
Here’s the video:
–
Being pictured alongside Christine Todd Whitman and Mitt Romney isn’t a flattering photo shop for a Republican running in a primary; Steinhardt mastermind and Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien no doubt had a hand it that detail. Steinhardt is nevertheless betting big with this video (and the message it’s pushing).
Long before Republican voters head to the polls or cast mail-in ballots for the June primary, county committee members will gather and vote to award their lines in a series of conventions and meetings around the state. Those votes could decide the nomination. Those deciders (h/t George W. Bush) are also likely to be more spooked by what happened in Georgia than your average MAGA voter.
Will your average committee member in Ocean or Bergen counties want to double-down on a MAGA message?
Or are they hungry to pivot?
I’ll give Doug this: he’s certainly willing to gamble. All winners need to gamble. Whether this bet pays off remains to be seen.
–
