Join Jeanette Hoffman and Joshua Henne—two political veterans from opposite sides—in a weekly column that dives into New Jersey’s gubernatorial race. Each week, the husband-and-wife duo offers candid insights, spirited debate, and insider perspectives on the key issues, campaign strategies, and political drama shaping the election. Whether you lean left or right, Hoffman and Henne bring you a modern-day bipartisan exchange—thought-provoking, witty, and unfiltered.
With just two weeks to go before Election Day, Hoffman and Henne weigh in on the heated final stretch of the gubernatorial race. From rallies and out-of-state endorsements to “No Kings” protests and competing energy and tax plans, the two political strategists debate what’s fueling momentum — and how each side is closing in on voters heading into Election Day.
Follow Hoffman & Henne’s Inside the Race column every Tuesday at ROI-NJ.com.
JEANETTE: We’re two weeks out from Election Day…and I’ve got to say, enthusiasm for Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign is exploding. I’m talking overflow crowds at diners and rallies full of thousands of real people, not paid-for political operatives. And while Mikie Sherrill is flying in out-of-state Democrat politicians, prominent New Jersey Democrats are endorsing Jack. New Jerseyans are ready to make a change, and they know Jack has a real plan to fix our state.
JOSHUA: Do you really wanna bring up out-of-state folks coming in during the last week of a high-profile campaign? I can easily point to Vivek Ramaswamy flying in to campaign with Jack. Cringe. Or, worse, Ciattarelli rallying with January 6th deniers – like Jack Posobiec, who promoted the insane “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory. Double Cringe!
JEANETTE: Cringe is Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appearing at a not-quite-full Bergen County union hall, where they had to use a partition to close off part of the room to make it look bigger. Double cringe is Mikie calling her, “Governor Whitman.” New Jersey…Michigan…it’s all the same to Mikie, since she’s from Virginia anyway!
JOSHUA: Mikie must’ve had your old boss Christie Whitman on her brain….since she endorsed Sherrill and all.
But if you’re talking about real explosions of people clamoring for change and to make a statement…just look to this past weekend’s “No Kings” rallies in cities all across America. Folks are hungry to make their voices heard to Trump – and the world – that none of this is normal and how MAGA Republicans are hurting our communities.
JEANETTE: You mean the “No Kings” rallies that were literally sponsored by the Communist Party USA? Nothing says democracy more than a rally brought to you by communists! Good luck winning over independent voters with that one, Mikie.
I’m not sure how the far-left’s protests are going to help New Jerseyans lower their taxes, energy bills or improve our schools. But hey…since Mikie voted to shut the government down, she’s got some time on her hands.
JOSHUA: Get it right, Jeanette! They’re sponsored by frothing ANTIFA supporting terrorists funded by George Soros…who afterwards all went for lunch at local pizzerias where they eat babies.
Sure, you can cherry-pick among the eye-popping 7.2 million Americans who took part in Saturday’s protests. Same way I can cherry-pick the Trump supporter in Pennsylvania arrested for brandishing a gun to threaten participants.
These were overwhelmingly peaceful events with regular folks coming out in record numbers – even in ruby red Toms River, Newtown and Cape May. Heck, the rally closest to us in Red Bank had local Monmouth resident Jon Bon Jovi holding a “No Kings. No Tyrants. No Sycophants. No Trump” sign. That’s the message and momentum that will carry Democrats to victory this election and in next year’s Congressional midterms.
JEANETTE: Well, Mikie is living on a prayer if she thinks just being an anti-Trump protestor will win her this campaign. But that just sums up the premise of her entire campaign – all Trump, all the time. Talking about fixing New Jersey’s problems…none of the time.
While Jack is touring the state talking about ways to lower taxes and energy bills, Mikie “I voted to shut down the government” is attending Hate America rallies with far-left extremists screaming about Trump. How is that a plan to actually help New Jersey families and taxpayers?
JOSHUA: Jack’s a likeable guy who’s spent a decade running for Governor – already losing twice. He just has terrible timing this go-around…if only he didn’t have to contend with a White House making life harder for local families and businesses. Because no doubt that’s gonna boomerang back on Jack.
JEANETTE: The bigger issue is 8 years of Murphy’s horrendous policies and the fact that Mikie wouldn’t do anything differently. Yet Democrats keep talking about DC…
JOSHUA: Well, when D.C. hurts New Jersey…you betcha.
The latest turd Trump dropped on Jack’s campaign was terminating the Gateway Tunnel Project. This comes on the heels of the MAGA government shutdown, weaponizing the justice department and Trump’s tariffs making things pricier for families and businesses.
JEANETTE: Hey, if anyone’s going to be able to get President Trump to get the Gateway Tunnel finished, it’s going to be Jack Ciattarelli, someone the President listens to and actually has a relationship with. As opposed to Mikie, who sees herself as a permanent obstacle to the President, no matter what. That’s not leadership, that’s playing politics with our state and its residents.
And let’s be honest here, Mikie has no credibility on federal funding for Gateway or anything else, since she voted against keeping the government open just a few weeks ago. She’s complicit in the Schumer shutdown. Mikie’s the reason our federal workers aren’t getting paychecks and why the most vulnerable New Jerseyans may soon lose their benefits.
You know, it’s kind of weird she keeps talking about “clawing back money” from Washington D.C., since she already has a job there in Congress. And clearly, she’s doing a pretty bad job of delivering for the people of New Jersey.
JOSHUA: Come on, Jeanette, bad MAGA things at the federal level cause bad things here at home. That’s the reality that should bring voters out in droves.
For instance, last Summer’s Big Beautiful Bill was really a Big Republican Rate Hike. Trump created a self-inflicted energy crisis, raised utility costs and cost jobs by cutting cheaper, cleaner energy sources…simply to give tax breaks to oil and gas billionaires. He’s caused the average New Jerseyan’s energy bill to spike an extra $110 next year, and a whopping $180 by 2030. We’re the state with the 2nd most jobs lost! That’s 7,700 jobs…and a ridiculous $1,980,000,000 in investments gone or delayed.
JEANETTE: Funny you should mention the Big Beautiful Bill, which gave huge tax cuts to New Jersey families. But Mikie voted against $3,700 in tax cuts for New Jerseyans and against the childcare tax credit. She also voted against quadrupling the SALT tax deduction for New Jersey residents, who pay the highest property taxes in the nation.
At every turn, she’s voted to make New Jersey more unaffordable. And she supports the same bad policies of Governor Phil Murphy that make our state the most expensive in the nation. If you think she’s going to change New Jersey, you’re right. She’ll make it worse.
JOSHUA: We don’t live in a silo here in The Garden State. Voters are itching to make a statement at the ballot box that Trump and the MAGA Republicans are making our lives less stable and more expensive.
JEANETTE: And you’re itching to get the last word in on one of these columns…so I’ll let you have it.
JOSHUA: Nah, I’m good. The voters will have the last word soon enough anyway.
Follow Hoffman & Henne’s Inside the Race column every Tuesday at ROI-NJ.com.
