The uniquely New Jersey Walk to Washington – the State Chamber-sponsored networking train ride filled with business and nonprofit leaders and elected officials — made a triumphant return Thursday.
The event, being held for the first time since 2020, drew a record crowd — chamber officials said they were expecting more than 1,000 riders on the Amtrak special — including six gubernatorial candidates.
All told, the event was expected to draw more than 1,200 people by the time everyone arrived in D.C.
New Jersey Chamber CEO Tom Bracken couldn’t have been more thrilled.
“This is the most significant networking event in our state, period,” he said. “We have 1,200 people here because 1,200 want to be here — they want to commit, both financially and their time, to be with key leaders in the state.
“When we brought this back, we were hoping to get 700 people. To get 1,200 is incredible.”
The only people happier than Chamber officials were the gubernatorial candidates.
Ras Baraka, Jack Ciattarelli, Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill, Sean Spiller and Steve Sweeney all took advantage of an opportunity to interact with many key leaders in the state.
Sweeney, in fact, came up to Newark on Wednesday night so he could attend the kickoff breakfast (which attracted hundreds who did not go on the trip) and then be on the train throughout a journey that included stops in MetroPark, New Brunswick, Trenton, Philadelphia and Wilmington.
“I left office a few years ago so it’s important for me to reconnect with people — and there’s no better place to do it,” he said.
Sean Spiller agreed. He said he’s eager to meet anyone, anywhere at any time.
“I think it’s important to be out in every space, earning every vote, talking about how we’re going to make New Jersey more affordable for everyday folks — and in any space I can get into to have that conversation, I’m going to be there.”
Gottheimer, who appeared to hit each car on the train on multiple occasions, said the chance to talk business with people in business was great.
“I’m hardcore about job growth because I think we’ve got to do everything we can to get costs and taxes down for people,” he said. “We need to bring more jobs here, so it’s obviously a good place to talk to people about how we’re going to grow the economy in New Jersey.”
If the recent debates were the unofficial kickoff of the campaign, this trip is the logical follow.
Ciattarelli certainly has his message for the business community down pat.
“We need to celebrate the business community,” he said. “They’ve been demonized for seven plus years by the Murphy administration. They need to know that the next governor is going to have their back. I will.”
How is this for a split ticket?
ROI-NJ, in an unofficial poll during the Walk to Washington, asked train-goers to name their two top picks to be the next governor.
The overall winners (more on that later) were not as surprising as this: Many people who said their first choice was a Democrat said their second choice was a Republican – and vice versa.
The race for governor may be more wide open than it already appears.
Networking, campaigning — yes, the Walk to Washington was back in full force.
The biggest question: When will it return?
The Chamber, which began hosting the ReNew Jersey Business Summit in Atlantic City, has said it likely will rotate between the two events going forward.
An official ROI-NJ poll found train-goers like the idea of having the train trip every other year; easily outpolling bringing the trip back on an annual basis.
Regardless of when it happens, Chamber officials were happy the trip was professionally appropriate throughout. The days of Animal House atmosphere seemingly were left in the past.
Chamber chair Gary Dahms said he was glad to see it.
“I think everyone has grown up a bit since the last time we did this,” he said.
