NJ Spotlight News on Friday interviewed two of the state’s top political strategists about what was a memorable week for New Jersey politics, and a historic day for the U.S Congress as the House voted to expel embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos of New York. It’s the sixth time in U.S. history the chamber has kicked a member out. All 12 of New Jersey’s congressional members voted for his ousting.
“I think a lot of Republicans think he is a pretty contemptible human being,” said Republican strategist Chris Russell. “A lot of the things he did and said are now going to be dealt with in a court of law. Certainly, when it’s something historic like this, expelling a member from the chamber, it’s a sober thing frankly.”
The highly contentious congestion-pricing plan from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority also was front and center this week as a new report by the Traffic Mobility Review Board set a price of $15 extra for drivers who come into New York’s central business district below 60th street.
“The biggest issue that Governor Murphy has had with this congestion pricing scheme was less the policy in theory, it was more in practice,” said Democratic strategist Dan Bryan. “This is done in a way that unfairly impacts New Jersey commuters. I think there was a way that this could have been done to gain everyone’s support, including this side of the river.”
Of first lady Tammy Murphy’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate, Russell said: “It’s crazy to say she is not benefiting from being the Governor’s wife, and having that clout and being able to maneuver people to support her… That’s why people work so hard to win these conventions and win the support of certain stakeholders and power brokers across the state.”
But Russell said not to count contender Rep. Andy Kim out of the race yet, and said Kim “is not to be taken lightly.”
