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Politico
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
How an Arizona special election is inflaming Democratic divides
'As a mother and lifelong public servant in this community, I've lived the challenges our families face under Trump's anti-Latino policies, and have spent my career standing up for immigrant rights,' Grijalva said in a statement. 'I will bring the same fight and resistance to this anti-immigrant Administration.' Foxx, who would be one of two Filipino Americans in Congress if elected, has been calling out the party's failure to stand up to President Donald Trump and is going after the late Grijalva for not resigning and thus making Republicans' megabill easier to pass. She has also painted Adelita Grijalva as part of the 'establishment.' 'Hundreds of thousands of people in my district, myself included, my friends, my family, my neighbors have been without a representative because of the passing,' Foxx said in a Tuesday interview. 'At a time where this budget bill stands to impact so many of us, we have had nobody voting on our behalf, nobody fighting for us.' Hogg and his PAC did not respond directly to BOLD PAC's statement, instead focusing on highlighting their endorsed candidate. Foxx, Hogg said in a statement, 'brings unmatched clarity, conviction, and lived experience to some of the toughest challenges working families face.' 'She is equipped to fight back against Trump because he's attacking the very programs that she's relied on for her survival,' he added. Foxx brushed aside concerns about Hispanic representation, saying the role 'can look a lot of different ways' and citing her ties to the the district's younger, working-class communities. Hernandez and Grijalva are vowing to stand up to Trump. But like Foxx, Hernandez has painted Grijalva as an extension of the Democrats whom they view as somewhat acquiescent and has pointed to the support from national groups like BOLD PAC as evidence nothing will change. 'It's not surprising that the daughter of a congressman who was in Congress for over 20 years is getting the establishment endorsement,' Hernandez said in an interview on Tuesday. With under a week before the election, Hernandez spent almost $479,000 on TV ads, to Foxx's roughly $471,500 and Grijalva's near $309,000, according to AdImpact, which tracks political advertising. Outside spending has ramped up in the race as well. Some pro-Grijalva groups have also played in the race. The Working Families Party, which endorsed her in late May, spent just under $150,000, mostly on broadcast ads. Progressive Promise, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the League of Conservation Voters have also bought ads in the area, per AdImpact.
NBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Democrats pour millions into New Jersey governor's race
Democrats are putting millions of dollars onto the airwaves in the New Jersey governor's race, with an outside group making a new major ad reservation. Greater Garden State, a super PAC backed by the Democratic Governors Association, is spending $20 million on ads on television, digital and streaming platforms, according to an announcement shared first with NBC News. The ad buy is more than Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and aligned outside groups spent on ads combined in the 2021 general election. Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill is running to succeed Murphy, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits. Sherrill is competing against Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former state legislator and the party's 2021 nominee, who easily won the GOP primary with President Donald Trump's endorsement. 'The DGA is committed to holding New Jersey's governorship and making sure that voters up and down the Garden State understand the stakes of this election,' DGA political director Jordy Zeigler said in a statement, which linked Ciattarelli to Trump and said Sherrill was focused on the cost of living. Sherrill, Ciattarelli and outside groups have not spent significant funds on ads since last month's primaries, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. But the race is expected to attract millions of dollars before it's over. The primaries alone featured $89.8 million spent on ads, with most of the money spent in the crowded Democratic contest. Nearly $30 million was spent on ads for the general election in 2021, according to AdImpact. The new ad buy is being placed early to take advantage of lower advertising rates before the airwaves get more crowded during the fall campaign. The New Jersey contest is one of two governor's races this year, along with Virginia's. Both races will be closely watched for clues about the political environment ahead of next year's midterm elections, and both are expected to be competitive. Trump lost New Jersey by 6 percentage points last year, a 10-point improvement on his 2020 margin. That was the second-largest swing toward Trump in any state. Murphy also faced a competitive race in 2021, when he defeated Ciattarelli by 3 points. New Jersey voters have tended to elect governors of the opposite party of the president, and it has been more than 60 years since the same party won three consecutive governor's races.
CNN
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump allies begin hitting Massie with attack ads over opposition to agenda
A super PAC aligned with President Donald Trump has launched an attack ad targeting Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie after his series of high-profile breaks with the administration, including opposition to a landmark policy bill and criticism of strikes against Iran. 'What happened to Thomas Massie,' the ad begins, ticking through a list of conservative policy priorities that it says Massie voted against, a broad reference to Massie's opposition to the sprawling Republican policy bill making its way through Congress. Massie cited concerns over spending levels and deficits in his vote against the 'big, beautiful bill,' as it's been dubbed by Republicans. The ad also hammers Massie explicitly over his opposition to the administration's decision to strike Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend, encouraging voters to 'fire Thomas Massie.' The ad presents a high-profile example of Trump leveraging his powerful political network against recalcitrant members of his own party as he wrestles with dynamic foreign policy challenges and works to steer his domestic agenda through Capitol Hill. It comes from a group, MAGA Kentucky, created by Trump allies specifically to target Massie, with plans to spend $1 million on the ad campaign, targeting TV and digital platforms, according to Axios, which first reported on the group. Data from the ad tracking firm AdImpact shows that MAGA KY has already reserved about $100,000 worth of airtime in July. MAGA KY shares a treasurer with Trump's main super PAC, MAGA Inc., according to its limited disclosures so far with the Federal Election Commission and is overseen by key Trump allies – connecting it to a network of political committees and joint fundraising agreements steering tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash ultimately aligned with the president. And while Trump is constitutionally ineligible to run for office again, that immense war chest has given him ample resources, along with his durable political capital, to direct against members – including Massie – who break ranks to oppose his agenda, cementing the president's grip on the party. Last month, Trump fumed against the Kentucky Republican amid his steadfast opposition to the president's signature policy bill. 'I don't think Thomas Massie understands government. I think he's a grandstander, frankly. He'll probably vote- We don't even talk to him much. I think he should be voted out of office,' Trump said. Massie, however, has cultivated a defiant independence during his time in Congress and has dismissed the threats from Trump and his allies. 'If they would just quit hitting me I might get bored and give up,' Massie told reporters on Capitol Hill earlier this week. 'But I'm not going to lose. I do not lose.'
11-06-2025
- Politics
Sherrill, Ciattarelli win New Jersey gubernatorial primaries – where Trump is front and center
The Associated Press has projected that U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) will win New Jersey's Democratic gubernatorial primary, and that former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli will win New Jersey's Republican gubernatorial primary – setting up a competitive race in November where President Donald Trump's inroads with Garden State voters could be tested. Republicans are hoping to flip the governorship from blue to red, and point to last year's presidential results as a sign the state has gotten more favorable for Republicans. "This year's election for governor is critical for New Jersey's future. You'll decide whether New Jersey is a high tax, high crime, sanctuary state," Trump said during a rally for Ciattarelli, whom he endorsed, held by telephone in early June. "New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show." Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris won New Jersey by just around 6 percentage points in 2024, but then-Vice President Joe Biden won the state by about 16 percentage points in 2020. That means Rep. Mikie Sherrill will have to campaign in a state that may be redder than it used to be. "We built a nation, and people say the scars we have are ugly... The president comes here nonstop to his golf course and calls our state a horror show – but come November, we're sending a shot across the bow," Sherrill told supporters on Tuesday night. The general election could also be a test of the strength of a Trump endorsement without Trump at the top of the ballot. Jack Ciattarelli likely benefited from Trump's endorsement in the primary, but without Trump on the ticket in November, he will have to convince Trump's base in New Jersey to still turn out. "We won because our campaign is about people, not politics... We won because we talked about the issues that matter, the critical issues facing our state and my plan for a safer, more prosperous, and affordable New Jersey," Ciattarelli told supporters at a Tuesday election night event. The other Democratic candidates Sherrill faced were Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents the state's 5th District; Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop; New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller; and former state Senate president Steve Sweeney. Ciattarelli faced conservative radio personality Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera. The contest was on track to become the priciest election in New Jersey history, with over $85 million spent on advertising as of last Wednesday, according to a report from media tracking agency AdImpact. Among Democrats, Gottheimer has the most ad spending supporting him ($22.8 million), followed by Fulop ($17.8 million). Ciattarelli led among Republicans with $5.9 million in ad spending or reservations supporting him, dwarfing Spadea's $2.2 million and Bramnick's $1.2 million. About 70% of broadcast ad airings have mentioned Trump, according to AdImpact.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Trump test, Democrats' future and big money: Three things to watch in New Jersey's primaries
New Jersey voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday to pick nominees for this year's race for governor, in the first high-profile primaries for both parties since the 2024 election. New Jersey is one of two states with a gubernatorial race this year, along with Virginia. And both contests will be closely watched as early indicators of how voters are responding to President Donald Trump's second term. Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy cannot run for re-election due to term limits, so there are contested races for both parties' nominations. Candidates and groups have spent $85 million on ads this year in both primaries, according to to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, with more than $75 million spent in the Democratic primary alone. As Democrats nationally have tried to regroup following Trump's 2024 victory, where he also narrowed his margin of victory in bluer states like New Jersey, the six Democratic candidates have presented different paths forward for their party. And the race is still unsettled heading into the primary. On the Republican side, five candidates are on the ballot — but former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, whom Trump endorsed in mid-May, is viewed as the front-runner. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET. Here are three things to watch as voters make their choices. The crowded Democratic primary remains the most unpredictable race New Jersey has seen in decades, in part because county parties can no longer give advantageous ballot positions to their preferred candidates, following a lawsuit from Democrat Andy Kim during his Senate run last year. The suit weakened the state's party machines and contributed to a wide-open contest. As Democratic voters in New Jersey have evaluated the candidates, some have prioritized electability, raising concerns that Ciattarelli will be tough to beat in November. The former state legislator lost to Murphy in 2021 by 3 percentage points. And Trump also made gains in the state last year, losing by 6, a 10-point improvement on his 2020 margin, which was the second-largest swing toward Trump in the country. Democratic voters also say they are looking for a candidate to take on Trump. Against that backdrop, each Democrat has been pitching a different path forward for their party, and Tuesday's primary will be Democratic voters' first major opportunity to weigh in on which path they should take. Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill has been viewed as the relative front-runner after leading in limited public polling, although candidates are often clustered together within the margin of error. Sherrill has leveraged the party's successful playbook from the 2018 midterm elections, when she and other Democrats flipped Republican-held House seats. She has emphasized her background as a Navy helicopter pilot and a federal prosecutor in her pitch as someone who can effectively govern and take on Trump. Sherrill has faced recent attacks for her House campaign accepting donations from a corporate PAC tied to Elon Musk's SpaceX, and for being late to disclose two stock trades related to her husband's work. Sherrill's House campaign donated the PAC money to charity. She also paid a fine for the late disclosure and supports a stock trading ban for members of Congress. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has been pitching himself as the true progressive in the race who's willing to take on the president. He garnered national attention when he was arrested last month at a federal immigration detention facility. (The charges were later dropped, and Baraka is now suing New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in response.) The attention has given Baraka's campaign a last-minute boost, with recent fundraising reports showing that his campaign raised $962,000 in the 17 days following the arrest, more than twice as much as his next closest Democratic competitor. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is also appealing to the party's liberal voters, describing his supporters as 'pragmatic progressive' voters. Fulop has been running an anti-establishment campaign, criticizing the state's Democratic political machine and Murphy, whom he described at a recent campaign stop as a 'sub-average' governor. Teachers' union president Sean Spiller has said he also considers himself a progressive and has criticized those in his party who he says are backed by wealthy corporate interests. Spiller himself has been boosted by Working New Jersey, a super PAC funded by the New Jersey Education Association, which Spiller leads. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, one of the more moderate members of Congress, has been pitching an economic-focused message, saying he will work to bring down the state's high cost of living. And former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, who lost re-election in 2021 to an underfunded GOP challenger, has argued that he is best equipped to lead the state government given his legislative experience. Sweeney, who is also stressing his blue-collar roots as a former ironworker, could have a geographic advantage as the only candidate from South Jersey. The GOP primary will be a key test for Trump's endorsement and determine whether the president has helped consolidate his supporters around Ciattarelli, his preferred candidate in the race. Ciattarelli sharply criticized then-candidate Trump in 2015, calling him a 'charlatan' and unfit to be president, and he notably did not campaign with Trump when he ran for governor in 2021. Trump knocked Ciattarelli for failing to do so in a radio appearance last year with Ciattarelli's chief competitor in the GOP primary, Bill Spadea. 'This guy never came to ask for my support,' Trump said then of Ciattarelli. 'And you know what, when MAGA sees that, they don't like it and they didn't vote for him. He would have won easily if he did.' Spadea also asked for Trump's endorsement in the race, and the possibility that Trump would take sides in the primary loomed over the contest for months. The president ultimately endorsed Ciattarelli on May 12, writing on Truth Social that Ciattarelli is now '100%' MAGA and is best positioned to win in November. Ciattarelli, for his part, now says he fully supports Trump and dismissed his past comments in an April interview with NBC News, noting other Republicans (including Vice President JD Vance) have criticized Trump in the past. The primary could also shed light on the size of the anti-Trump wing of the GOP in New Jersey, with state Sen. Jon Bramnick in the race. Bramnick, a longtime state legislator who is also a standup comedian, has called for a return to civility, and he has sharply criticized Trump in the past. Two other candidates are also on the Republican primary ballot: former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, a a self-described 'forever Trumper' who has been endorsed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and contractor Justin Barbera. Tuesday's primaries in New Jersey will also test outside groups' influence as they've spent millions of dollars in the pricey New York and Philadelphia media markets to reach Garden State voters. The pro-Spiller super PAC Working New Jersey, which is tied to the state's teachers' union, had spent a whopping $35 million on the race as of May 27, according to the latest campaign finance reports, while Spiller's campaign itself had spent $342,000. The group has spent $12.1 million on ads this year, according to AdImpact. That ad-spending sum was surpassed only by Affordable New Jersey, a super PAC supporting Gottheimer, which was funded largely by transfers from Gottheimer's congressional campaign. That group has spent $14.8 million on the airwaves. Fulop has also gotten a boost by a super PAC called Coalition for Progress, which has spent $8.1 million on ads this year. Sherrill's aligned super PAC, One Giant Leap PAC, has dropped nearly $5.9 million on the airwaves, largely over the last month of the race. Ciattarelli has had a financial advantage in the GOP primary, spending $6 million on ads, compared to Spadea's $1.7 million and Bramnick's $1.2 million, according to AdImpact. Both Ciattarelli and Spadea have also gotten boosts from super PACs, but both groups have spent less than $1 million on ads in the race. This article was originally published on
