The Republican candidates vying to become New Jersey’s next governor are sounding increasingly like President Donald Trump, and their messaging has gained unlikely fans: Democrats.
Democratic strategists from the state are hopeful that Republican candidates’ Trumpy rhetoric will dissuade moderate voters in November’s race, allowing Democrats to hang onto the governor’s seat despite dropping party approval ratings and a rightward shift in the state.
“The fact that there has been a very spirited Republican primary has been a great thing for Democrats,” Democratic strategist Daniel Bryan said. He added that the candidates are “in so deep on Trump right now it’s going to be hard for them to pivot away from that in the general, and I don’t think Trump would let them pivot away from it in the general.”