It’s that time. An important election draws near. We not only have every single seat in the Assembly and Senate up for grabs, we are tasked as voters with selecting a governor for the next four years.

Because I believe in democracy and everyone having their say, I offer my unbiased thoughts on the election to either side in these following open letters.

Dear Murphy Voter,

You’ve got this.

There’s little to no chance you won’t have Phil Murphy for another four years. Oh the pride you’ll feel at knowing a Democratic governor has won reelection to a second term for the first time in almost half a century when Brendan Burn did it.

Best of all? You don’t have to do a thing! Might as well stay home since a landslide is inevitable.

We know you love him. We know you love his handling of the pandemic and the executive orders he hammered out to keep us safe (even though he has often been caught not following his own executive orders, but let’s face it, he’s Murphy, so the virus must know that he is more important than you, right? I mean, it would never dare attack him.)

And most of this year your guy has enjoyed double digits leads in the polls. It is a foregone conclusion the Phil Murphy is about to make history. So vote if you want, but is it even necessary? I mean, you’re the Democrats and you believe in compassion, right? Shouldn’t some sort of mercy rules apply here so that Ciattarelli doesn’t feel so terrible about himself losing in a landslide?

Since Murphy absolutely has this in the bag, if I were you honestly I would just stay home. I mean that’s what he asked us all to do for so long, right? Stay home? Don’t gather? What better way to honor and pay tribute to this great man than to stay home on Election Day. Enough won’t, so you know he’s got this anyway. I think we need some balance here, don’t you?

So be that balance Murphy voter! Stay home from the polls and just enjoy his reelection from the safety of your home.

Registered Democrats in New Jersey number 2,554,293 versus registered Republicans at a measly 1,464,449. Landslide I tell ya! So relax! Stay home!


Dear Ciattarelli voter,

OK listen, it’s crunch time.

I don’t care how busy you are. I don’t care if you have hospital appointments all that day for pre-op testing and bloodwork plus have to turn in a graduate paper at the same time.

You and every single person who does not want to see a second Murphy term needs to get off their asses and to the polls on Election Day!

YOU AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO DOES NOT WANT TO SEE A SECOND MURPHY TERM NEEDS TO GET OFF THEIR ASSES AND TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY!

If you want a better New Jersey than one that shut down businesses without shoring up the Labor Department’s unemployment hotlines, you need to vote. If you want a better New Jersey than one that closes down Motor Vehicle agencies for months and then reopens without a solid understanding of the nightmarish backlog that will be faced, you need to vote.

If you want a better New Jersey than one that sends elderly COVID-positive patients back into nursing homes causing more than 8,000 deaths, you need to vote. If you want a New Jersey that’s smarter than to create their own labor shortage by endlessly extending unemployment benefits and then paying $300 a week on top of that, then you need to vote.

In the latest Emerson College/PIX 11 poll on the gubernatorial race, Ciattarelli is only six points behind. This thing will be won or lost on turnout. Talk to everyone you know who wants to see a change. Cajole. Nag. Remind. Implore. Every last eligible voter who would like to see Ciattarelli in office needs to get off their butts and to the polls that day. I don’t care if you have to hobble on a sprained ankle after taking an Uber that smells like cheap cigars. You need to do this. This is a blue state and it’s the ONLY shot you have.

Because frankly, when they see an open letter that starts “Dear Murphy voter, you’ve got this!”, how many will fall for it?

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.

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