For weeks, Democrat Phil Murphy has focused on big name endorsements like former President Barack Obama, New Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi, and even International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James Hoffa, who says Murphy's opponent is another Chris Christie.
“You know, so long with Chris Christie we’ve had so many problems in the state of New Jersey. This is a great state. We’ve got to turn it around. We need a new man, new thinking, someone that is for the average person in this state and that is our man Phil Murphy,” Hoffa said.
Guadagno has been touring the state on a bus, stopping to meet residents in diners and hosting events at VFW halls. She says voter`s should pay no mind to her democratic opponent’s endorsements.
“All of the big names I’ve heard Phil Murphy bring in, they get to go home at night to another state where they don’t have to pay high taxes. This campaign in about paying higher taxes. He’s promised to raise taxes on the most taxed people in New Jersey. That’s unacceptable to any New Jerseyan and I don’t care if you’re a republican or a democrat, a big name or a little name.”
At the GOP headquarters in Burlington County, former Republican Governor Christie Whitman made a pitch on Guadagno’s behalf.
“I’ve been down and I’ve been outspent. At the end of the day you may not win by much but if they call you governor, that’s what matters. What I’ve seen from the momentum is that Kim is going to win. I really believe looking at the outside people Murphy has been bringing in and the amount of money. If I were sitting on a twenty-point lead, I wouldn’t feel this kind of a need.”
Guadagno assures her supporters that if she’s New Jersey’s next governor, she’ll lower property taxes, and never make New Jersey a ‘Sanctuary State’.
“Phil Murphy either didn’t understand when he said he wanted New Jersey to be a sanctuary state and that disqualifies him to be Governor. Or he did understand his talking point when he said he wanted New Jersey to be a sanctuary state and that disqualifies him to be governor. People understand that making New Jersey a sanctuary state makes New Jersey less safe.”
Democrat Phil Murphy accuses his republican opponent of using fear to generate support.
“She’s putting politics ahead of public safety,” Murphy told a crowd in Sayreville.
At a Middlesex County rally, Democratic New Jersey congressman Frank Pallone says Republicans have taken Murphy’s words out of context. He says ‘Sanctuary State’ means opposing President Trump’s divisive take on immigration.
“We here in New Jersey have to keep pointing out that the pathway to citizenship for the people who are here who are undocumented and who meet those criteria is the way to go. Not to have them detained and deported. The dreamers are very important to our economy as well.”
Both major party candidates were talking taxes. Republican Kim Guadagno insists Phil Murphy's proposals, like fully funding the pension and public education systems in New Jersey are unrealistic. But the democrat says closing tax loopholes could help pay for his plans.
“This is about tax fairness," Murphy said. "You’re a big corporation and you’ve had open loopholes. We’re hardly George Washington here. Many other states have closed these loopholes. If you’re running a hedge fund, which has some of the most egregious loopholes of any sort, you’ve had a free ride basically for the last eight years. You’re going to pay your fair share. I don’t want to scare people out of here, but you’ve got a fair share.”
Murphy attacked Guadagno's plan to limit property taxes for those that pay more than 5 percent of their income on school taxes. He says she had eight years as lieutenant governor to fix the problem.
Republican Kim Guadagno is trailing democrat Phil Murphy by double digits in recent polling. Both candidates say they’re looking beyond projections and will try to win over voters until the minute polls close on election day.
Polls are open in New Jersey from 6am to 8pm.