Trump Taking a Swipe at Democrat-Controlled New Jersey

Former President Donald Trump is making “a concerted effort to win” New Jersey in 2024, despite the state being dominated by Democrats for years.

On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump announced that Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey would lead the effort in turning out prospective Trump voters in the state.

“He feels, as do I, that because the Biden Administration has been so bad to the Garden State, that we have a very good chance of winning New Jersey,” Trump said of Van Drew. “We will put it on our List for Rallies and all other forms of Events, and make a concerted effort to WIN!”

Winning the state will be an uphill battle for Trump, who still has to face off against Republican contenders for the party’s nomination next year.

New Jersey, which has carried 14 electoral votes since 2012, has chosen the Democrat nominee in every presidential election since 1992, Ballotpedia showed.

In 2020, Trump lost the state by 15.9 percentage points to President Joe Biden, 57.14% to 41.26%. That gap was 14.1 points in 2016 when he faced former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 55.45% to 21.35%.

Van Drew was a Democrat for 17 years in the New Jersey Legislature and was first elected to represent the state’s 2nd Congressional District in 2018 as a Democrat.

Van Drew became a Republican in December 2019 ahead of Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign and pledged his “undying support” to the former president.

“I believe that this is just a better fit for me,” Van Drew said of his party switch at the time, according to The New York Times. “This is who I am.”