Facing long odds in blue states, Republicans call Democratic candidates 'unhinged'
By David Weigel March 13 at 5:13 PM
As first-year elections go, the race for governor of New Jersey looks brutal for President Trump and the GOP. Just 41 percent of the state’s voters backed Trump in the 2016 election, and his favorable numbers are even lower now. Departing Gov. Chris Christie (R), once a national star, has seen his favorable ratings sink into the 20s. The best-known Republican candidate, Christie’s lieutenant governor, polls just as low — 29 percent — in a trial heat with Democratic front-runner Phil Murphy.
The GOP’s surprising strategy to dig out, so far, has been to pummel Murphy for his criticism of Trump. For the second time, the Republican Governors Association has accused Murphy of being “unhinged,” because the Goldman Sachs banker-turned-ambassador-to-Germany keeps comparing Trump’s early days to the rise of the Nazi party.
“Murphy’s comments show that he lacks necessary judgment to lead New Jersey,” said RGA spokesman Jon Thompson in an email. “Murphy compares the sitting president of the United States to a mass-murdering dictator that committed genocide, and it’s beyond normal for a far-left partisan attack. It’s unbecoming of a statewide office candidate, and it directly disrespects the office of the presidency.”
Trump, who won the presidency despite low favorable ratings, threatens to be an anchor in 2017’s only major races. In Virginia, Democrats are trying to retain the governor’s mansion; in New Jersey, to reclaim it. Not only do midterm elections tend to break against the party that holds the White House, but both states voted solidly for Democrat Hillary Clinton last year. While the 2018 Senate race map is a struggle for Democrats, and that year’s House map is slanted against the party thanks to tough gerrymanders, this year’s elections look close to ideal for comebacks.
more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/03/13/facing-long-odds-in-blue-states-republicans-call-democratic-candidates-unhinged/?utm_term=.71bf2ba0bca0&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1
= new reply since forum marked as read
