The GOP popularity contest
Good Thursday morning!
Jack Ciattarelli has the highest name recognition and net favorability out of four Republican gubernatorial candidates named in a new FDU poll.
But there are signs that Ciattarelli's advantages are 'tenuous,' according to FDU.
'The fact that Ciattarelli has run before means that voters know who he is, but he also has much higher unfavorables than the other Republicans in the race,' said Dan Cassino, the FDU Poll's executive director. 'He's currently in the strongest position, but these numbers show how tenuous that advantage is.'
Here's the numbers: 78 percent of Republicans surveyed know who Ciattarelli is, compared to 54 percent for Bill Spadea, 43 percent for Jon Bramnick and 41 percent for Ed Durr. Thirty-nine percent of Republicans have favorable views of Ciattarelli versus 15 percent who have unfavorable views. By contrast, 22 percent have favorable views of Spadea and 10 percent have unfavorable views of him.
'The large number of Republicans who don't have an opinion about Spadea means that he has room to grow his support,' Cassino said. 'But to do that, he'll have to break through in media coverage, something that's proving hard for everyone in the race.'
All the candidates — even moderate Jon Bramnick — get net positive marks from Republican voters who have heard enough about them to have an opinion. But interestingly, among voters 45 and under, a group that disproportionately considers itself to be 'MAGA' Republicans, the candidates are basically tied in favorability.
You can find the full pull results on the FDU Poll's website.
While Cassino says Spadea will have to break through in media coverage, given the downsizing of New Jersey's press and splintering of news sources, I think it might be about paid media rather than earned media. So far, Spadea hasn't been able to match Ciattarelli's fundraising. That might be key. And judging by the numbers so far and the Republican base's enthusiasm for Trump, it doesn't look like most of the candidates' on each other for not being Trumpy enough have broken through.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Ellen Park, Roland Straten
WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule
QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Finding Waste, Fraud and Abuse before it was cool' — The promotion for Acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh's speech at Rider University net week
TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com
WHAT TRENTON MADE
IF YOU'RE BETTING ON THIS, PLEASE CALL 1-800-GAMBLER — 'NJ Transit, locomotive engineers continue to negotiate as strike deadline looms,' by The Record's Colleen O'Dea: 'Anyone taking bets on whether or not NJ Transit's locomotive engineers will strike? Kalshi is. The New York-based financial exchange and prediction platform began taking wagers March 1 on whether train operators will walk off the job, which could happen as soon as March 22. … Details on how the negotiations between the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and NJ Transit have been are scant of late. NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri isn't hedging his bets or throwing all his chips in — he's just not making any wagers. 'I'm not a betting man,' he told reporters at an unrelated event last week when asked about the negotiations. 'There's a pathway to get there, the question is can we do it in a way that is thoughtful and that is reasonable, and I'm still confident we can get there.' The two parties have been at the table nearly every day since Kolluri took over as head of the agency in January. Before Kolluri's arrival, the two sides had been nearly at a standstill.'
WINDOW DRESSING — 'NJ Transit accelerates its plan to rid trains of cloudy windows,' by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: 'NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri unveiled a plan Wednesday to replace every cloudy window in its fleet of multilevel rail cars within three years. The $18.5 million dollar plan will replace 13,000 windows in the agency's multilevel I and II rail cars, an effort started last year by Kolluri's predecessor Kevin Corbett. Kolluri decided to accelerate window replacement under his three-point plan to improve the customer experience, cutting the replacement time from as high as eight years to three.'
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TRUMP ERA
IMMIGRATION — 'Immigrants feeling pressured with few allies in power,' by NJ Spotlight News' David Cruz: 'Immigrants and immigrant rights advocates find themselves battling not only executive orders and policy directives that have resulted in more raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, but anti-immigrant sentiment that has struck fear in the community. ICE has announced it will reopen Delaney Hall in Newark as a 1,000-bed immigrant detention center while the state Legislature has failed to consider the Immigrant Trust Act for a vote. That bill would codify a directive from the state attorney general limiting cooperation protocols between local and federal institutions. 'We have to have the people that are in power read the ITA, to be part of this process,' said Ana Paola Pazmino at a recent rally at the Elizabeth Detention Center. 'Delaney Hall is not opening just because Trump started. This is happening because all the politicians have done nothing within this past year. And it's making us angry now.''
—'Why Trump's tariffs could have 'bigger impacts' this time around'
LOCAL
CAMDEN SMOKE RISING — ''It's hellish now': EMR fire leaves Camden residents worried about health and contamination,' by WHYY's Sophia Schmidt: 'Residents affected by the four-alarm fire at a metal recycler in South Camden a week and a half ago are still recovering from the experience. 'It's hellish now, to live on this block and live in this neighborhood,' said Aliyia Jones, who lives with her mother and 19-year-old daughter less than 2,000 feet away from EMR's fenceline. A Camden County spokesperson said the fire was EMR's sixth since 2016. Community members worry it won't be the last. They fear pollution from the frequent blazes will leave a lasting mark on the community's health.'
PATERSON — 'Lawsuit says Paterson police escalated tensions with Najee Seabrooks before he was shot,' by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'Family members have filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city over the 2023 fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks, a 31-year-old employee of the Paterson Healing Collective anti-violence group. … The lawsuit blamed Paterson police for fuelling tensions at the scene instead of calming the confrontation, especially when a SWAT team showed up with riot gear. Seabrooks was suffering from delusions and paranoia, and even began cutting himself with a kitchen knife, causing him to weaken from his loss of blood, said the lawsuit, which was filed in United States District Court in Newark late on Monday. At that point, the police at the scene should have allowed 'the passage of time to naturally de-escalate the situation' because Seabrooks was likely to pass out from his blood loss, the lawsuit said. 'Instead, they maintained their strategic and confrontational 'standoff' position, with guns still drawn, and continued to pressure Mr. Seabrooks to come out of the bathroom and surrender,' the lawsuit said.'
HOBROKEN — 'How can Jersey City and Hoboken handle December 2 runoffs just 13 days after certification?' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Recent legislative changes to the election calendar create complications in non-partisan municipal runoffs and potentially forces election officials to immediately violate at least some state laws. Candidates for mayor and city council in Jersey City and Hoboken must get a majority of votes – 50% plus one – in the November non-partisan municipal election to win; otherwise, they must compete in a December 2 runoff. With a large field, few believe any of the mayoral candidates will win outright, making the runoff inevitable. The short window to prepare and print ballots while strictly following state law is impossible. 'We're flying by the seat of our pants here,' a top election official told the New Jersey Globe. 'There are so many contradictions. They update some laws, but not all.'
—'McCann Stamato to put up bill to ease logistics for Hoboken & Jersey City runoffs'
IT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR PILOTS — 'Polistina, Levinson at odds over casino PILOT and what county should do for Atlantic City,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: 'Saying Atlantic County needs to do more to improve the city if it wants a larger share of future casino payments-in-lieu-of-taxes, state Sen. Vince Polistina called for the county to take on a big job like relighting Pacific Avenue.. … County Executive Dennis Levinson, who has been feuding with Polistina and Atlantic County GOP Chair Don Purdy over insurance contracts and more, said improving the city is the state's job as the governmental entity in charge under the state takeover. … Polistina is continuing to have conversations with the Governor's Office and others in Trenton about a possible new PILOT, he said. The existing PILOT with 2021 amendments, which the county is suing to overturn, runs out in 2026 … Levinson, who was not at the meeting but watched it online, has long held the PILOT was never a good idea and the city should go back to traditional real estate assessment and property taxes on casinos.'
OCEAN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF TOYS, CONSIDER BAN — 'New Jersey library gets book returned 99 years late,' by ABC 6's Matteo Iadonisi: 'Mary Cooper found a library book borrowed by her grandfather in 1926 and returned it 99 years late. The book, 'Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys' by A. Neely Hall, was stamped by the Ocean County Library. Cooper recalls that her grandfather, Charles Tilton, was a boatwright and carpenter who may have desired to build something for his daughter, who was Cooper's mother. The back of the book revealed it was borrowed in March of 1926 and designated for return by the end of the month. Tilton passed away the following year. 'I said, I have to return this book to the library,' said Cooper. 'I was sure they would like to have it back.''
—'Newark gains 415 new school board voters ages 16-17'
—'Atlantic City Housing Authority leaves disabled woman in limbo in rush to empty Stanley Holmes Village'
—'Restoration of historic Passaic County Court House kicks off with $11 million contract'
—'Ramapo Indian Hills school board to hire new general counsel to avoid 'huge conflict''
—'Upper Township incumbents to face primary challenge in June'
—'Middletown BOE rehires politically connected lawyer Bruce Padula'
—"Middletown Coach Accused Of Sex Assault Quit, Not Eligible For Pension'
—Brennan: 'Here's why your property taxes are soaring while Jersey City schools struggle'
EVERYTHING ELSE
LESNIAK TO RULE HUDSON COUNTY FROM HIS KEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE — 'NJCU board votes unanimously 'to pursue a strategic merger' with Kean,' by Hudson County View's John Heinis: 'The New Jersey City University (NJCU) Board of Trustees voted unanimously (7-0) 'to pursue a strategic merger' with Kean University at a special meeting this afternoon. … New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridge, Ph.D has named 'seasoned expert' Henry Amoroso as the state fiscal monitor for NJCU in the midst of their budget woes back in August 2023. Since then, Moody's and Fitch Ratings moved the university's credit rating from negative to stable.'
MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T TAKE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SO SERIOUSLY — 'Lawyer for embattled state wrestling champ blasts statements supporting NJSIAA,' by NJ Advance Media's Ryan Patti: 'Patrick J. Jennings, the attorney representing Anthony Knox, Jr., said Wednesday the statements from the NJSIAA's Executive Committee, Sen. Paul Sarlo and others should have no impact on the Mercer County Superior Court's expected decision of whether or not to uphold the temporary restraining order currently allowing Knox to wrestle in this week's NJSIAA/IBEW Local 102 State Championships … 'Anthony Knox, Jr. did nothing wrong,' Jennings said. … In his case last week, Jennings argued that the NJSIAA is violating the Due Process Clause in the 14th Amendment. … Knox was charged Tuesday with simple assault of a minor and disorderly conduct for his involvement in the incident, and a Collingswood police offer said in court documents he saw Knox 'repeatedly punch' a minor. In his statement Tuesday, Sarlo (D-Bergen), a member of the NJSIAA's Executive Committee, said the court's decision 'set a bad precedent for scholastic sports.''
THE JAWS OF LIVESTREAM — 'Marijuana activist NJ Weedman seriously injured in motorcycle crash,' by Kevin Shea for NJ.com: 'Ed 'NJ Weedman' Forchion, the longtime marijuana advocate, was seriously injured last weekend when a truck collided with his motorcycle in Trenton. Forchion livestreamed the crash aftermath on Facebook while lying on the ground surrounded by wreckage and while city EMTs treated him. He was taken to a hospital, where he continued posting videos. Police later issued the truck driver — a 51-year-old resident of Elmhurst, New York — tickets for careless driving, failure to yield at an intersection, and failure to stop or yield, police spokesperson Capt. Lisette Rios said.' … He posted on Facebook Tuesday that he suffered spinal fractures and three ribs.'
—'University Hospital President and CEO Ed Jimenez goes to Main Line Health'
—'Concern that sea-level rise will flood drinking-water intakes in Philadelphia, southern NJ'
—'This mistake costs N.J. drivers extra money when they pay the N.Y.C. congestion toll'
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