By Matt Rooney
New Jersey Republicans have something new to explain, Save Jerseyans: a monthly voter registration gain smaller than the Socialists’.
Democrats added a net 2,745 registered voters during September, while Republicans gained just 141. Socialist registrations increased by 162, beating the GOP’s monthly gain by 21.
Yes, you read that correctly.
The biggest increase belonged to unaffiliated voters, often called independents, whose ranks grew by 12,571.
Democrats’ net gain was nearly 20 times the Republican increase, widening the registration gap between the two major parties by another 2,604 voters.
One month’s registration changes don’t predict an election, and net increases aren’t necessarily a measure of recruitment alone. Party switches and voter-roll removals can also affect the totals.
Still, this is hardly a report worth framing at any county Republican headquarters.
The substantial increase in unaffiliated voters leaves both parties with voters to persuade. For Republicans, it also underscores the need to start fighting for the 2024 Trump coalition.
But first? A party hoping to compete statewide should probably figure out why its monthly registration gain is trailing the Socialists.
