Five Things The New Jersey GOP Needs To Do Now

Let's face it -- last night was not a good night for the New Jersey Republican Party. And that's an understatement, to be sure.

After picking up  state legislative seats two years ago and scoring significant upsets, the party's rank and file had every reason to be hopeful this year. And the state GOP encouraged that optimism. But sadly, a unique opportunity was lost and instead of building on the momentum of  '21, the party fell back and, incredibly, lost five legislative seats. 

How to pick up the pieces and move on? First, let's remember that a setback can be the perfect setup for a comeback. Then, focus on five things we can do now:

1) Clean house. New Jersey Republicans have not beenvery well served by the same tired leadership at the top. We have nothing against the so-called "leaders" of the party personally but for too long it seems they've been playing not to lose instead of playing to win, win, win! In the process, they've lost too many times, plus one. Maybe it's time to bring in a fresh team with daring new ideas.

2) Copy the coast. Have you looked at the red and blue map from yesterday's election? Pay attention to the Jersey coast. From Cape May pretty much all the way up to Sandy Hook, the GOP triumphed. Republicans in these towns and districts (especially people like newly elected Assemblyman Paul Kanitra) know something about winning. These are the same people who took on coastal wind projects and ran them (and Phony Phil Murphy) out of town. These are the sort of giant killers we need setting the course of our ship!

3) End the political purgatory. As long as Republicans keeping fighting one another, based largely on personality, they will remain in a sort of sustained political purgatory -- close enough to catch the scent of triumph but never able to actually savor it. All of this infighting? It's like dying from a million little cuts.  In the end, you're only fighting over who gets the right to lose. Time for leaders who can bring unity and discipline to these schoolyard squabblers. 

4) Bench the slick consultants. This almost needs no explanation. These are the only people I know who keep losing and keep raking in (like autumn leaves) the Big Bucks. More often than not they're too cautious, too poll driven, too analytical and too indefinite. Most of all, they lack passion. Set them aside for awhile and take the party to the people. Let's see what the grassroots, everyday Republicans on the ground have to say about where we should go from here.

5) Turn to Testa. South Jersey's dauntless Senator Mike Testa had a Very Big Day yesterday. Amidst a generally dismal GOP showing statewide Testa's team swept Cumberland County retaining the legislative seats and flipping the sheriff, surrogate and three county commission seats to give them total GOP control. Testa is smart, young, compelling and dynamic. But most of all he knows how to bring people together and win. This is where we start to turn the corner!