By Alyana Alfaro • 11/10/16 4:51pm
After President-elect Donald Trump’s victory during Tuesday’s general election, the Republican brand seems strengthened nationwide. The party now has control of the White House, the U.S. Senate and the House. However, that nationwide strength stands in contrast to the GOP’s beleaguered position in New Jersey.
In the Garden State, the Republican brand has been struggling with Governor Chris Christie’s alleged role in the Bridgegate scandal. That connection has impacted the once-popular governor to such a point that his approval rating currently stands at only 19 percent among New Jersey residents. In Bergen County—the state’s most populous—Republicans have been on a steady losing streak over the last few elections. This year, the GOP in Bergen officially lost all representation at the county level and managed to pick up a congressional seat in the previously Republican held district 5. And, while a Republican won the presidential election, a significant portion of NJ Republicans—including 2017 gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and likely candidate Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno—separated themselves from Trump and were unwilling to publicly endorse him throughout the election.
