Free Republic

All 80 seats in the Democrat-dominated state Assembly are up for grabs today, but there’s no race for governor or for president at the top of the ticket. That should lead to low turnout. And low turnout usually favors Republicans. But the smart money says that after the votes are counted, Minority Leader Jon Bramnick’s minority will be even smaller than it is now, with a 54-26 Democrat-Republican split.

WESTFIELD, N.J. – The New Jersey Assembly’s top Republican is making no secret about his decidedly pro-gun control orientation heading into the fall elections. According to a source in the district, the campaign of Assembly GOP Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) recently sent out a mailer to Democrat-inclusive universe of voters in his battleground 21st Legislative District (encompassing portions of Union, Somerset and Morris counties). In the mailer, Bramnick trumpets his support of strong gun control legislation and his “F” rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA).

NEWARK, N.J. — If you need proof that the state Republican movement is in tatters, Save Jerseyans, look no further than an NJTV interview segment with Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-21) which aired on Saturday’s On the Record with Michael Aron. “When people organize because they dislike Trump so much, that organizes people on the local level and on the county level,” Bramnick told Aron. “They’ve done a really good job taking out Republicans, and a lot of it is based on his personality and his abrasiveness.”

One of the Donald Trump’s top political allies in New Jersey says that Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) could face a primary challenge if he doesn’t stop bashing Trump. Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers says that when Republicans like Bramnick bash Trump, they hurt the GOP brand. “Our party must return to its conservative roots-roots that are embedded in the Constitution,” Rogers told the New Jersey Globe. “I have been all over New Jersey and I find a hunger and thirst among Republicans as well as conservative Democrats and independents for a return to the values we embraced years ago.”

With former Gov. Chris Christie gone and Republicans holding slimmer minorities in the state legislature, Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick tried Thursday to rebrand the New Jersey GOP. “We’re the Republican Party, but we’re not crazy,” Bramnick said. “We are not crazy or extreme. We’re reasonable.” Bramnick (R-Union) was at times more critical of his own party’s president than the newly sworn-in Democratic governor during a news conference inside the state house with other Assembly Republican leaders. He went out of his way to denounce Trump’s tweets and divisive rhetoric but passed on opportunities to attack Gov. Phil Murphy or...

TRENTON -- Jon Bramnick, the Republican leader of the state Assembly, told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday that he's decided not to enter this year's race to succeed Chris Christie as New Jersey's governor. Bramnick (R-Union), a close Christie ally who has been the Assembly's minority leader since 2012, said he will instead focus on running for re-election and increasing the number of Republicans in the Democratic-controlled lower house of the state Legislature.