SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey’s gubernatorial primary race has heated up after President Donald Trump made his endorsement and with Democratic candidates competing in an “anyone can win it” contest.
With Trump endorsing Jack Ciattarelli, it’s bad news for Bill Spadea, who needed a lot of help before the June 10 primary. Rider University’s Micah Rasmussen said it comes as no surprise that he has backed Ciattarelli, who already had a 30-point polling lead over Spadea well before the president’s blessing.
“He didn’t try to get involved early in the primary. This primary was all but decided when he decided to join in and lend his voice,” Rasmussen noted.
“New Jersey has always been near and dear to Trump. I think he sees an opportunity to win here.”
On the other side of the aisle, there are six Democrats in the mix. Rasmussen said it’s anyone’s race.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka got the sort of publicity that money can’t buy when he was arrested on Friday while protesting an ICE detainment facility. Rasmussen says his progressive ideals could help in a primary but may hurt in the general election.
“Republicans, if they could pick any one of the Democrats, they would pick Baraka,” said Rasmussen. Still, he said Baraka, Mikie Sherrill, Josh Gottheimer, Steve Fulop, Steve Sweeney, and Sean Spiller each have a puncher’s chance.
“Baraka is front and center in national news, and I think that’s gotta have an impact. We know the candidates want to be the most recognizable name on the ballot,” he said.
“Sweeney could get it with South Jersey support. Spiller could get it with teacher support. Fulop could get it building his own organization. It’s certainly pretty interesting and certainly Sherrill could get it through the organizational support that she’s got … All of the candidates have a potential path to get to the front of the line.”
Rasmussen said it wouldn’t take much to get there in a low turnout primary with about half a million votes expected on the Democratic side — 100,000 votes or maybe even fewer may get the job done.