New Jerseyans aren’t always civil, but it’s still possible for a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican to have a rational and pleasant conversation about politics in the state.  Dan Bryan is a former senior advisor to Gov. Phil Murphy and is now the owner of his own public affairs firm, and chief strategist for Tammy Murphy’s Senate campaign, and Alex Wilkes is an attorney and former executive director of America Rising PAC who advises Republican candidates in New Jersey and across the nation, including the New Jersey GOP.  Dan and Alex are both experienced strategists who are currently in the room where high-level decisions are made.  They will get together weekly with New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein to discuss politics and issues.

New Jersey Globe: Chris Christie is gone from the presidential race before any votes are cast.  What’s his next chapter?  Can he ever repair his relationship with Republicans across New Jersey and his neighbors in New Jersey?

Dan Bryan: If the question is “will Chris Christie ever be a viable political candidate in New Jersey again,” the answer is clearly no. He is consistently the least popular political figure in the state, and Bridgegate will forever hang over his head. There is no statewide path for him, despite those desperate for him to jump into this year’s Senate race.

But that said, I do believe he has earned some goodwill by finally speaking the truth about Donald Trump. And I don’t think he’s done – he will likely be one of the loudest and proudest anti-Trump voices in the national media this cycle.

Here’s what I’d like to know: given how dangerous Christie believes Donald Trump is, will he endorse President Biden for reelection, or will he fall in line again, putting party over country?

Alex Wilkes: ​​A few things.

First, I won’t bore everyone with the obvious: establishing an alternative lane to Trump will need to happen quickly if it has any chance of succeeding. Whether there’s a viable path past New Hampshire remains to be seen, but the need for consolidation became especially apparent in the last few days.

Second, for Governor Christie, there’s the ever-present question of his “window.” Was it really ever 2012? Was it only 2016, with Trump’s entry being extraordinarily bad luck for him? That’s a mystery for the history books. With 2024 now also ruled out, the future is less certain.

Finally, the former Governor is undoubtedly one of the most talented messengers and fundraisers of our time. I think it’d be foolish to assume he’d just disappear. I do think, however, that he’s in a better position than most ex-Presidential contenders. He’s not squeezed for cash and doesn’t need to resort to something desperate to stay relevant. He has the benefit of time to decide what’s next, which is perhaps the greatest gift of all.

NJ Globe: This is the part where both sides state their case: Phil Murphy delivered his State of the State address last Tuesday.  How did he do?

Alex: I don’t know what state the Governor thinks he’s living in, but the tenor of his speech made me wonder if he’s lost touch with reality entirely. He described New Jersey as a bastion of affordability and innovation that simply does not exist.

For most families, his chronic overspending and overtaxing has made the cost of living skyrocket, and in return, he has offered the weak consolation prize of applying for a fraction of your own money. Our unemployment stubbornly remains the third highest in the nation, and it has risen faster than any other state over the past year. The inflation that has plagued the rest of the country as a result of Joe Biden’s policies has hit New Jersey particularly hard, having risen 25% more than the national average here. Under Joe Biden and Phil Murphy, even families earning close to six figures are having a difficult time staying afloat.

What struck me is that Phil Murphy seems to have personally lost direction. Aside from helping shape the policy narratives of his wife’s Senate race, he’s a little lost. He’s not running for President, he’s not running for reelection, and he’s not up against difficult legislative midterms. I think the unremarkable speech reflected his somewhat uncertain future.

Dan: The Governor sounded a different tone in this State of the State – wiser, more focused, and encouraged by last year’s Midterm results.

And for a Governor entering year seven of his administration, he doesn’t seem to be letting up: he announced new initiatives around healthcare affordability, artificial intelligence, affordable housing, voting rights, and education. This was not an address from a lame duck Governor waiting for his term to end.

This fact is now immutable: Governor Murphy is one of the most impactful and transformative Governors in our state’s history. In two years, he will hand off a state with a healthy pension system, far better credit ratings, a stronger middle class, a thriving economy, fully funded public schools, and a fairer tax system. He has accomplished what the pundits called impossible, and whether or not they ever give him credit for it, the people of New Jersey have responded and ratified his leadership.

NJ Globe: Bob Menendez took to the floor of the United States Senate to make the case for his innocence.  Did he make things better or worse?

Dan:  I’m not sure what he could possibly do to make his situation better at this point. He is fighting three (!!) incredibly serious and alarming indictments that charge him with crimes that would make the Trump family blush. He should resign his seat and allow New Jersey to turn the page.

Alex: If the Windsors’ motto is “never complain, never explain,” the considerably less honorable axiom of American politics these days seems to be “never apologize, never resign.” With how polarized our country has become in recent years I would say that this mostly works. People from each political party feel increasingly confident with defending the misdeeds of their friends by pointing to the bad behavior of their foes, and they are eagerly supported by partisan media.

Bob Menendez is proving to be an exception this time. He is on a political island (shared only by maybe George Santos). I think that’s mostly because of the severity of the charges and the fact that this will be his second run-in with federal prosecutors. I think the partisan media also feels much less obligated to carry water for him with the entry of MSNBC’s patron saint of democracy, Andy Kim, into the race. Hey Bob: no shame in making Cameos!

NJ Globe The Newark City Council voted last week to lower the voting age for school board elections to 16, and Governor Murphy proposed doing that everywhere in New Jersey.  Is this a good idea? 

Alex: Eh, Democrats can wax poetic about expanding democracy all they want; this feels like a pretty naked power grab, particularly in a machine town like Newark.

Dam: I see both sides of this – I do like the idea of expanded democracy to those most affected by the BOE’s policies, but I also understand concerns about pulling sophomores, juniors, and seniors into intense BOE politics (my local BOE often makes Hudson County look genteel).

I’m not sure how this counts as a power grab (was Newark in danger of being taken over by Republicans?), but we can assume there will be growing pains as more New Jersey communities adopt it.