Obama jumping into New Jersey gubernatorial race at 11th hour is 'desperate,' voters say
President Barack Obama's campaign efforts in New Jersey to support Rep. Mikie Sherrill's race to serve as the Garden State's governor was a "Hail Mary" pass from Democrats that generated "fake excitement," conservative voters told Fox News Digital during a Turning Point Action rally in South Jersey Monday afternoon.
"I'll say this as an African-American, we're done hearing Barack Obama try to tell us how we're supposed to vote," New Jersey voter Shawn Crump told Fox News Digital Monday afternoon. "Because, full disclosure, I was a Democrat. I worked on his campaign in 2008, and he just let us down. He let this country down, but he especially let down a lot of African-Americans. So we really don't want to hear him tell us how we were supposed to go."
Crump was among a group of Republican voters who traveled to Medford, New Jersey, Monday afternoon for a Turning Point Action rally to mobilize further support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the final hours before Election Day. The rally was billed as a "Super Chase" event, where community members then head out to remind voters to submit their ballots. Ciattarelli did not attend this specific rally.
Attendees heard from local conservative leaders before hitting the road to knock on doors and remind people to get out and vote in the final hours of the election.
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Obama traveled to Newark, New Jersey, Saturday evening, where he held a rally with Democrat candidate Sherrill. New Jersey is a historically deep blue state that previously voted to elect a Republican governor in 2013, when former Gov. Chris Christie was elected, and previously voted to elect a Republican president in 1988, when George H.W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis.
"Let's face it, our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now," Obama told the audience Saturday, taking a shot at President Donald Trump and his administration. "It's hard to know where to start, because every day this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and carelessness and mean-spiritedness. And just plain old craziness."
Republicans are on a mission to flip the state red and are motivated by Trump's inroads with Jersey voters in 2024. Trump cut his 2020 loss from 16 points in the state down to six points in 2024, and flipped five counties to the GOP.
Joe Sereday, chairman of the Burlington County Young Republicans, reported to Fox Digital that enthusiasm is high among voters casting ballots for Ciattarelli and added that Obama's campaigning in the state signaled desperation for the party in a state that is historically blue.
"I think it's kind of old news now," Sereday said, adding that Obama deserves respect as a former president, but that he sees issues with the campaigning efforts. "Usually when the Democrats roll in these big names — Obama, who else was here, Andy Kim, Cory Booker — usually that means they're in trouble."
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He added: "Usually when they bring in Obama and the wash-ups, hate to say some of the wash-ups, usually that means they're desperate."
Cliff Maloney, CEO of Citizens Alliance and the founder of campaign efforts PA Chase and NJ Chase, told Fox Digital that Obama's presence in New Jersey was a "Hail Mary" pass from Democrats.
"I just think it's all AstroTurf. I think it is fake excitement," Maloney, who attended the rally as a speaker to mobilize New Jersey voters. "They're kind of just hyping things and trying to sensationalize it. Nobody's excited about (Sherrill). And that's something that you can't fix that."
"You can bring an Obama. You can bring in whoever. At the end of the day, New Jersey has an 800,000 registration advantage to Democrats and we're here in the state telling you it's competitive," Maloney added. "So win or lose, the fact that this is a place that Democrats have to spend resources, time, energy, and money, this is not even supposed to be a competitive race. We're in a dead heat right now. We are in the game. This is a competitive grace. And if Jack pulls this off, it will be an earth-shattering moment in the political world."
New Jersey's notoriously high taxes and spiraling energy costs are top concerns for voters, with locals telling Fox Digital that protecting Christianity and "truth" is also on the ballot in 2025.
"My concerns are actually Christianity, people not being told the truth, obviously abortion and our children in schools, they need to learn things that are really truthful," local South Jersey voter Valerie told Fox News Digital.
"I do feel like we are going to flip the state," she added. "I'm hoping that a lot of Republican voters come out and they don't stay home, because if they do come out, I think we'll win."
Local voter and pastor Jeff Kliewer told Fox Digital that pro-life and homeschooling issues are also factoring into voting decisions.
"The pro-life issue is still huge," Kliewer said. "It's one of the biggest. And for us, in New Jersey, a number of the pregnancy centers have been under attack by the Democratic machine under Phil Murphy, and it's only gonna get worse if they hold power. So I know a lot of the leaders of those pregnancy centers are trying to help girls, but they're constantly under pressure. So there's that issue."
"Secondly, the homeschool families, there's a lot red tape that's being introduced against homeschooling. Although New Jersey has been one of the freest states for homeschooling, that might change if we don't keep good people in office here," he continued, adding taxes are at the top of most voters' minds as they head to the polls.
Turning Point Action field representative Noah Formica, who is from Pennsylvania and made the trek down to New Jersey to bolster mobilization efforts, explained that the "Super Chase" event is designed to spur locals to motivate their neighbors to vote.
"It's a group of people getting together. They listen to a few speakers talking about action, and then we get directly involved in our communities," he said.
"Every single door that we knock, right here in New Jersey, makes all the difference. Just voter contacts. And we have almost 60 people here, so if each person here knocks 15 doors, imagine the impact that'll make on a local race," he said.
The New Jersey election will be held Tuesday, with polls opening at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and closing at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Sherrill campaign regarding the voters' comments but did not immediately receive a response.
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