Republicans can choose to win. | Bergen

There is a greater opportunity for the New Jersey Republican Party today than there has been in recent history. We are at a crossroads, a moment when we need to seize the opportunity in front of us and change the course of the party. If we don’t, the recent past is prologue in the legislature.

I am an optimist by nature. The military instilled in me a never-give-up attitude; that as Americans we are incapable of accepting defeat while there is still an ounce of fight left in us. This foundation motivates me to constantly seek a new path to victory, no matter the odds.

If the Republican Party is willing to embrace that attitude, we can win. It will be hard, it will require sacrifice and hard work, but it can be done. To get there, we need to start with the clear goal of becoming the majority in the legislature. With that goal in mind, and accepting nothing less, we can start the job.

The Democrats have bloated our state with their tax and spend policies, they have let their progressive left wing run roughshod over their entire party, and drive policies that forsake liberty for ideology.

The people of New Jersey are tired of the state becoming more and more expensive. They are tired of absurd laws that remove mandatory minimum sentences for public corruption crimes, ban plastic straws, and make business owners criminals for simple oversights. The public is unhappy. The environment is ripe for a change.

How do we get there?

First, we need a common message: a Contract with New Jersey. All of us need to be beating the same drum and telling the people what life could be like. What we can do for them if only given the chance.

Next, we need to get everyone together. The state party, the assembly Republicans, senate Republicans, county chairs, and every interest group aligned with our core Republican principles need to be laser focused on the joint mission of taking back the majority for the good of the state, and the good of each individual.

Lastly, we need to execute the strategy to win races. Raise money; sell the idea to the game-changing Republican donors that live in New Jersey, but don’t give a dime to state races because they view them as a lost cause. We can make them believe. We can make the people believe. We can generate excitement and motivate the people of New Jersey to demand a change, to do whatever it takes to make a difference and get the job done.

Is it easy? No. Nothing good in life comes easy. This will require our elected officials to work harder than they have ever worked before. This will require us to motivate people in low-turnout elections. This will require PACs, candidates, committees, and interest groups to invest everything in the effort. It will be hard. But, when we win, when we take back the majority, and we have Republicans holding the gavels in both the Senate and the Assembly, it will all be worth it.

The alternate is to accept the status quo. There is no in-between. Is that really an option?

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BRIAN BERGEN is a former Army Officer and Apache Helicopter Pilot and a Republican Assemblyman representing New Jersey’s 25th Legislative District.

Brian Bergen
About Brian Bergen 6 Articles
BRIAN BERGEN is a former Army Officer and Apache Helicopter Pilot and a Republican Assemblyman representing New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.