Ciattarelli And Fetterman? You Might Be Surprised!

Oh, we know that on the surface it seems there would be few similarities between Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman and New Jersey gubernatorial hopeful Jack Ciattarelli. 

Fetterman is a big, garrulous guy and Ciattarelli is fit and trim. Fetterman favors shorts, hoodies and work clothes while Ciattarelli seems most comfortable sporting upscale business casual styles. And Fetterman can seem dour and brusque while Ciattarelli's usually smiling, welcoming and engaging. 

But take a closer look and you'll find these similarities:

1) Both men are dogged campaigners who have survived setbacks and come back to appear at the top of the ticket for each of their respective parties. Fetterman ran for the US Senate in 2016 and finished third in the Democrat primary. Ciattarelli lost his first gubernatorial primary bid in 2017.

2) Both got their start in local politics and have been underestimated (often by members of their own parties) only to defy the naysayers and move up the political ladder. Fetterman began as a small town mayor in Braddock, PA. Ciattarelli served on the Raritan (NJ) borough council, eventually becoming council president. They understand that all politics is local.

3) Each is a native of his own state and both have worn their home state roots as a badge of honor -- especially as each of them have taken on opponents from out of state. Ciattarelli faces someone who grew up in the Washington DC area while Fetterman faced an opponent who grew up in Delaware. 

4) Both men run relentless, unconventional campaigns built more on grit and instinct than the guidance of consultants. In fact, Ciattarelli's current "all gas, no brakes" campaign is reminiscent of Fetterman's "every county, every vote" approach. Both have proved to be masters of face-to-face retail politics. 

5) Both eschew ideology and rigidity (Fetterman more so than in the past) while appealing broadly across party lines. These guys defy labels by pitching to voters' thirst for common sense solutions. And it's easy to imagine Ciattarelli occasionally reaching across party lines as governor just as Fetterman seems to be doing as US senator.

In sum, though they're certainly not chummy and maybe have never even met, you could see Fetterman and Ciattarelli in a sort of political remake of The Odd Couple: Fetterman as the Walter Mattau, cigar chomping, card playing schlump and sleek Jack Ciattarelli as the Jack Lemon finicky, fastidious Mr. Neat. 

Ain't all politics theater anyway?