Pretty confident that I’m speaking for many New Jerseyans when I say that I really don’t know what Jack Ciattarelli means when he speaks about a “pathway to recognition” for illegal immigrants.
Is he actually in favor of ending the sanctuary state?
What is ‘recognition’? Is it citizenship? Is it a continuation of taxpayer subsidies?
Will he aggressively work with ICE to enforce lawful detainer orders?
Will New Jersey again be a landing spot for thousands of migrants from war-torn countries as we saw with Afghanistan and the thousands dumped into the Joint Base under Murphy?
I’m hearing from many, many people, especially working-class families, skilled laborers and legal immigrants who came to the US in a proper and legal way, and they are not happy with the confusion created by the GOP nominee’s statement.
One of the hot spots for the confusion and push back is in Middlesex County, specifically the 19th Legislative District. This is a District that should be very much in play this year. In 2024, President Trump lost the district by only one point.
The district is currently represented by three left wing Democrats, including the Speaker of the NJ Assembly, Craig Coughlin.
Jack has been saying that he is bringing about a ‘tsunami’ of GOP votes and the ‘red wave’ will sweep him into office along with a majority in the Assembly. Given that he lost LD-19 by eight points in 2021, he’s certainly got an uphill battle.
With his flip flopping on certain issues, including illegal immigration, supporting drivers licenses for illegals and in 2021, standing against the proposed deportation of illegals which he now says he favors, he’s making the battle even harder.
Things seemed to be going along just fine, with many saying the GOP candidate had momentum, that was until he started talking about ‘recognition’ for illegals.
If things stay the same, LD-19 is likely to remain solidly Democratic and the Trump 2024 groundswell will be undone. That is unless Ciattarelli walks back the comment about a pathway to recognition.
People rightly interpret that as a pathway to citizenship and the GOP nominee said as much in subsequent interviews.
If Jack underperforms the Trump numbers from 2024, he loses.
If he can’t clarify for the hundreds of thousands of legal immigrants in New Jersey who followed the rules, and the millions of working class Americans in the Garden State that he actually stands for the law to be followed and the Trump/Homan plan of deporting criminal aliens, he will lose more than the Trump base.
He will erase gains previously made in the independent and democratic areas of places like Middlesex county.
Without that, Mikie Sherill is on the way to handing Jack his third consecutive loss in his quest to become Governor. It’s simple, walk back the pathway comment and stand up for legal immigrants and American citizens.
Take a strong stand and stop telling each group what you think they want to hear.
