Trump makes election eve push for GOP in New Jersey and Virginia
President Donald Trump is making a limited election eve effort to support Republican gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia-key off-year races that could indicate the GOP’s performance in the upcoming 2026 midterms. Trump plans to appear in tele-rallies for Virginia’s Lt. Gov. winsome Earle-Sears and former New Jersey state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli. This virtual campaigning contrasts with former President Barack Obama’s active in-person efforts for the Democratic candidates Abigail spanberger (VA) and Mikie Sherrill (NJ).
while both Democratic nominees have criticized Trump and the Republicans for not addressing economic issues like inflation and high living costs, Trump has been somewhat hesitant in fully endorsing Earle-Sears, who trails Spanberger in some polls. There is also concern among Republicans that Earle-Sears’s weak standing could negatively impact othre GOP races, such as the Virginia attorney general contest. Despite this, Trump has voiced support for both GOP candidates, emphasizing their strengths compared to their opponents and highlighting issues like energy costs in his messaging.
Trump makes election eve push for GOP in New Jersey and Virginia
President Donald Trump will make a tepid election eve push for the Republican gubernatorial nominees running in important off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia that may portend how the GOP will perform during next year’s midterm contests.
Trump will appear at a tele-rally for Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) on Monday night before doing the same for former New Jersey Republican state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli.
The president’s last-minute tele-rally campaigning directly contrasts with former President Barack Obama, who spent last weekend canvassing for Earle-Sears’s opponent, former Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, and Ciattarelli’s counterpart, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), at in-person rallies.
Both Democratic nominees have criticized Trump for his perceived lack of response to cost-of-living problems.
“The truth is, right here in New Jersey and all across the country, there were plenty of people who voted for Trump and the Republicans anyway, not because they wanted to give up the right to free speech or because they wanted to see our public health systems torn down, but because they were, understandably, frustrated with inflation and high gas prices and the difficulty of affording a home,” Obama told a crowd on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. “Nine months later, you’ve got to ask yourself, has any of that gotten better?”
However, Trump’s reluctance to fully endorse Earle-Sears, who is trailing Spanberger in some polls by double digits, has been a point of contention.
Republicans are concerned that Earle-Sears may be a drag on the Virginia attorney general race between GOP incumbent Jason Miyares and former Democratic state Rep. Jay Jones. Miyares has a polling edge over Jones, who has faced criticism since last month for texts he sent a Republican state lawmaker in 2022 about shooting then-Virginia GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert and wishing death upon his children.
Trump, however, did speak at a tele-rally last week hosted by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) for both the Virginia Republican nominees.
“I hope she wins,” Trump said of Earle-Sears last month. “I mean, the other person is horrible. She’s horrible. And the attorney general candidate talking about, you know, killing the children, and him and the children, the wife, everybody. I mean, how can you put a guy like that in office? So, I hope they both win.”
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Of Ciattarelli, who is in a more competitive race against Sherrill, Trump added, “I think you have a great Republican candidate in New Jersey, as you know. Jack is going to be great, and he’s going to cut your energy bills in half, and [Mikie Sherrill’s] going to double your energy bill.”
Trump also participated in a tele-rally last month for Ciattarelli.
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