Candidates for New Jersey governor making their final appeal to voters before Election Day
The race for governor of New Jersey is full steam ahead with just a few days to go until Election Day.
Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill are crisscrossing the Garden State in a final push to sway undecided voters. A new poll shows the two candidates in a statistical tie.
Ciattarelli makes multiple campaign stops
Ciattarelli's bus tour was welcomed in Woodbridge with an eruption of cheers from supporters.
The Republican nominee is hitting the issues that he hopes will energize the base and, at the same time, attract independents.
"Hey, if you want change, you've got to make a change. There's a lot that's wrong in New Jersey. We've seen policy failure after policy failure," he said. "Look at the affordability crisis because of taxes and now your electricity bills, a public safety crisis because we've handcuffed our local police. We've got a public education crisis because we've watered down the public school curriculum."
He held six rallies on Saturday alone, including at an American Legion hall in Westfield.
Ciattarelli told CBS News New York while it may be his name at the top of the ticket, he hopes more Republicans can ride his coattails to Trenton.
"We can't win the Senate. They're not on the ballot this year. But we can win the Assembly. And that would bring better balance to Trenton. I think that's good for the people of New Jersey," he said.
President Trump has endorsed Ciattarelli, but he has not campaigned for him in person, only holding a tele-rally for him. Ciattarelli said the president will hold an additional tele-rally for him sometime before Tuesday.
Sherrill rallies with former President Obama
Meanwhile, Sherrill held a "Get Out the Vote" rally Saturday in Newark with former President Barack Obama, along with other prominent Democrats like Sen. Cory Booker and Gov. Phil Murphy.
Obama urged voters to take advantage of early voting or go to the polls on Election Day.
"You cannot sit this one out. As citizens, you have to vote for leaders like Mikie ... who care about your freedom, leaders who will fight for your rights, leaders who will go work every day to make your life a little bit better," he said. "Go get your friends, grab your family members. Tell them to go out and vote."
For almost 20 minutes, he focused on Mr. Trump.
"Nine months later, you gotta ask yourself, has any of that gotten better?" Obama said.
He quipped that every day under the Trump administration was like Halloween.
"Except it's all tricks and no treats," he said.
Obama also criticized the administration's rollbacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
"They never miss a chance to scapegoat minorities and blame DEI for every problem under the sun," he said. "You got a flat tire? Must be DEI. Your wife kicked you out? DEI."
"Because [Mr. Trump is] pissed off that everybody's rightly blaming him for the government shutdown, he's frozen the Gateway Tunnel," Sherrill said.
Early voting ends Sunday, and Election Day is Tuesday.