OPINION:
President Donald Trump scored big in New Jersey, wooing hearts and minds of voters, supporters and even would-be voters and supporters with talk about jobs, the economy, killed terrorists and crazy Democrats “obsessed with demented hoaxes” and impeachment, as he put it.
What’s remarkable is the massive throng that gathered.
This is a state, after all, that voted big for Hillary Clinton in 2016. And this is a time, after all, that Trump is supposed to be at his lowest point, facing his darkest days: impeachment and ousting. You’d think he’d be shunned, not showered with love.
“An elevated level of enthusiasm was evident in the larger-than-normal crowd sizes inside and outside the Wildwoods Convention Center,” Fox News reported. “Hotels ordinarily closed for the winter were open for business and largely sold out. Bars and restaurants offered drink specials like the ’MAGA-Rita’ and the ’subpoena-colada’ — bringing to life what was normally a ghost town in the cold days of January on the Jersey Shore.”
Fascinating.
Fascinating and politically illuminating.
In 2016, New Jersey picked Clinton over Trump, 55% to 41%.
As a matter of fact, New Jersey has voted for the Democratic candidate for president, not Republican, in every election since 1992. Including 1992.
It’s true, in Cape May County, where Wildwood is located, the voting there has trended Republican.
Republican Mike Testa just won Cape May’s votes over Democrat Bob Andrzejczak for a state Senate seat, almost 54% to nearly 47%. And Republicans Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan recently scored wins for General Assembly seats over Democrats R. Bruce Land and Matthew Milam.
But Cape May Board of Elections’ members are split on party loyalties. While the chairman and one member are Republicans, the secretary and another member are Democrats.
Meanwhile, the Wildwoods Convention area is a tourist town — and the fact that Trump was able to draw such a large crowd, amid impeachment, no less, shows Democrats just how far they have to climb to win in 2020.
“Cape May County on the southern tip of New Jersey reflects just how much loyalty Trump commands with voters outside the industrial heartland,” The Associated Press reported, in the lead-up to the rally.
Last time Trump saw this much love in what’s supposed to be liberal land was in the 2015-2016 time frame.
Then, one headline from Fox 10 Phoenix in October of 2015 ran: “FULL Packed Donald Trump Rally in Massachusetts.”
And another from Telegram.com from November 2017: “Donald Trump takes aim again as thousands pack Worcester rally,” in Worcester, Massachusetts.
And another, in January 2016: “FULL Donald Trump Rally Lowell, Massachusetts.”
And we all know what happened with the 2016 elections.
Democrats simply have to be shaking.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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