Whippany, New Jersey —
Donald Trump may not be on the ballot in the fall’s biggest political races, but both sides are counting on him to help them win.
A year after winning back the White House, Republicans are racing to motivate voters who love the president and Democrats are rallying those who don’t, as the races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia play out as an early referendum on Trump’s second term.
“If you get a flat tire on the way home today, she’s going to blame President Trump,” said Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee in New Jersey, drawing laughs as he takes aim at his Democratic rival, Rep. Mikie Sherrill. “There’s nothing she won’t blame on the president.”
Facing a fierce fight, Sherrill is quick to invoke Trump in a different way, telling supporters: “That tariff plan? It’s a world-wide extortion scheme so that the Trump family can make billions of dollars. That is not creating opportunity for anyone in New Jersey.”
New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states in the country that hold gubernatorial elections the year after a preside
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