In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, Republican Joe Hathaway is trying to have his cake and eat it too in Thursday's special election for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District—running as a Republican while simultaneously distancing himself from the man who just delivered the GOP a decisive victory nationwide.
Hathaway faces off against Democrat Analilia Mejia in the race to fill the House seat vacated by Governor Mikie Sherrill, and his campaign strategy reads like a textbook case of how NOT to win in the Trump era. While President Trump is successfully implementing his America First agenda with mass deportations and border security, Hathaway is apparently too embarrassed to embrace the winning formula.
The irony is thick, folks. Here's a candidate calling his opponent a "socialist"—which she probably is—while refusing to fully embrace the conservative movement that just swept Republicans back into power. Does Hathaway think New Jersey voters are stupid? Does he believe they can't see through this transparent attempt to be everything to everyone?
Missing the Trump Train
What Hathaway fails to understand is that Trump's populist message resonates with working-class Americans everywhere, including in blue states like New Jersey. These are the voters who are tired of being lectured to by coastal elites, tired of watching their tax dollars fund illegal immigration, and tired of politicians who say one thing to get elected and do another once in office.
Meanwhile, his Democrat opponent Mejia is likely salivating at the opportunity to paint Hathaway as a typical flip-flopping politician who can't decide what he stands for. And honestly? She wouldn't be wrong.
"You can't fight socialist policies with wishy-washy establishment talking points. You fight them with bold conservative leadership."
The real question New Jersey voters should be asking is this: If Hathaway won't stand with Trump when the President is winning, what makes anyone think he'll stand with conservative principles when the going gets tough in Congress? Patriots deserve better than another RINO who runs away from the movement that's actually delivering results for America.