>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJBARNABAS HEALTH.

LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

AND BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY "NEW JERSEY BUSINESS MAGAZINE," THE MAGAZINE OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, REPORTING TO EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS IN ALL 21 COUNTIES OF THE GARDEN STATE SINCE 1954.

♪♪ >>> WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE," I'M DAVID CRUZ, JOINED TODAY BY OUR PANEL OF HOT SHOT REPORTERS FROM AROUND THE STATE, KATHERINE, DANIEL MUNOZ COVERS THE STATE FOR NJ BIZ, AND CHARLES IS THE POLITICAL COLUMNIST FOR THE RECORD "USA TODAY" NETWORK.

WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A MOMENT.

WE BEGIN TODAY WITH A LOOK AT THE LATEST MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY POLL ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IN NEW JERSEY, NOT TOO EARLY TO PAY ATTENTION.

JOINING US TO DIG INTO THE NUMBERS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY POLL, PATRICK.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

>> IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, DAVID.

>> SO, AS THE SNAPSHOT IN TIME, THIS POLL IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT PHIL MURPHY HAS A SOLID ADVANTAGE OVER THE REPUBLICAN -- OVER HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT, JACK CIATTARELLI.

OVERALL, IS 51-38.

MOSTLY UNCHANGED FROM YOUR LAST POLL, NO?

>> RIGHT.

THAT'S 13-POINT MARGIN.

WE HAD A 16-POINT MARGIN IN AUGUST.

JACK CIATTARELLI HAS BASICALLY SOLIDIFIED KIND OF THE LEANING REPUBLICAN SUPPORT THAT WAS OUT THERE THAT WAS KIND OF HANGING OUT.

WE LOOK AT A FEW LIKELY VOTER MODELS.

THE RANGE THAT WE SEE, WHERE THE RACE STANDS RIGHT NOW, IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 9 AND 14 POINTS.

SO, THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR PHIL MURPHY TO BE.

CONSIDERING THAT JACK CIATTARELLI SPENT THE PAST MONTH TRYING TO ATTACK PHIL MURPHY ON A COUPLE OF KEY THINGS, PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE COVID NUMBERS THAT HE HAS GONE AFTER, THE PAIN THAT SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE FELT, THE NURSING HOME DEATHS, ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, TRAGIC THINGS, AND WE FIND IN OUR POLLING THAT THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS SAY, YEAH, THAT HAPPENED.

THE MURPHY ADMINISTRATION BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR AT LEAST SOME OF IT, AND YET, THEY STILL SAY HE DID A GOOD JOB ON THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE, WHICH ARE VERY STARKLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT CIATTARELLI, HIS STANCE IS ON THOSE ISSUES.

>> THERE ARE MORE DEMOCRATS OUT THERE THAN THERE ARE REPUBLICANS, BUT THERE ARE MORE UNAFFILIATED VOTERS THAN ANYTHING.

AMONG INDEPENDENTS, MURPHY HAS A 44-39 PERCENTAGE ADVANTAGE.

THAT'S A BIT CLOSER.

IS THAT SIGNIFICANT?

>> WELL, IT'S SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT.

THE PROBLEM WITH INDEPENDENTS OR PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES INDEPENDENTS AND UNAFFILIATED IS THEY REALLY AREN'T ANYMORE.

THEY REALLY DO LEAN REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT AND CONSISTENTLY VOTE THAT WAY.

THEY'RE NOT THE KIND OF SWING VOTERS THAT WE USED TO TALK ABOUT IN NEW JERSEY ALL THE TIME.

SO, THAT'S REFLECTING THE PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES INDEPENDENT, REFLECTING THAT MURPHY HAS AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THERE IS A DEMOCRATIC -- NATURAL DEMOCRATIC ADVANTAGE IN NEW JERSEY CONSIDERING OUR 17-POINT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN VOTER REGISTRATION ITSELF.

YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A BLUE STATE.

UNAFFILIATEDS GENERALLY DON'T TURN OUT IN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS ALL THAT MUCH, AND IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT JACK CIATTARELLI NEEDS.

JACK CIATTARELLI DOES BETTER IF HE CAN GET SOME OF THOSE VOTERS OUT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT TAKE A DIMMER VIEW OF PHIL MURPHY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL TURNOUT TO EVEN MAKE THAT A CLOSE RACE.

>> ALL RIGHT, KATHERINE LANDEGREN HAS A QUESTION.

HELLO.

>> HI.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF VOTER TURNOUT?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, MY -- AND THIS IS A GUESS.

FAIRLY TYPICAL VOTER TURNOUT FOR A GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

IF YOU LOOK BACK FOUR YEARS AGO, REMEMBER, NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA HOLD THEIR GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS THE YEAR AFTER A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SO WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF BELLWETHER.

IN NEW JERSEY, IT ALMOST NEVER IS.

NEW JERSEY HAD THE STANDARD LOW GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION WHEREAS VIRGINIA HAD A SURGE BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL ISSUES HERE.

BOTH SIDES IN THE NEW JERSEY RACE ARE TRYING TO PLAY THESE NATIONAL ISSUES OUT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO TURN OUT A LOT OF VOTERS, SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS KIND OF 40% OF REGISTERED VOTERS TURNING OUT OR IF RACE, TYPICAL OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.

>> CHARLIE STYLE, GOOD MORNING.

YOU HAD A QUESTION AS WELL.

>> GOOD MORNING.

YEAH, GOOD MORNING, PATRICK.

I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THIS ISSUE OF EARLY VOTING.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, THE CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN HAS MADE THIS ARGUMENT ON A COUPLE FRONTS, NOT ONLY WITH POLLING BUT SCHEDULING OF DEBATES, THAT SOMEHOW EARLY VOTING IS SKEWING THE RESULTS, THAT IT'S UNFAIR TO BE POLLING WHEN PEOPLE ARE ALREADY VOTING.

CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT?

IT SEEMS TO KEEP POPPING UP.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT -- YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE SAME THING.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE HECK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE YOU CAN'T POLL -- WE'VE DONE THIS STATES THAT HAVE HAD EARLY VOTING FOR YEARS.

AND NEW JERSEY, IN FACT, THERE ISN'T ANY EARLY VOTING GOING ON IN NEW JERSEY IN THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT IT YET.

THAT'S IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING.

AND THE MAIL BALLOTS JUST WENT OUT ON SATURDAY.

WE WRAPPED UP OUR POLL ON MONDAY NIGHT SO EVEN IF YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME MERIT TO THAT ARGUMENT, WE WERE POLLING BEFORE THERE WAS ANYBODY CAST A BALLOT.

SO, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS, TO BE FRANK WITH YOU.

I CAN'T EVEN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST -- CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN IS IN A BAD SPOT.

THEY CANNOT MAKE THEIR OWN OPPORTUNITY HERE.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY THAT'S CREATED BY A MURPHY MISSTEP OR AN ACT OF GOD BUT THEY CAN'T CREATE THEIR OWN OPPORTUNITY SO I THINK THEY'RE GRASPING AT STRAWS BECAUSE THIS RACE IS JUST NOT MOVING ALL THAT MUCH.

>> DANIEL MUNOZ, YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION IN HERE.

>> GOOD MORNING, PAT.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

I AM CURIOUS ABOUT -- WITH HOW IDA HAD UP AND DOWN OUT AND HOW THE GOVERNOR RESPONDED, IF YOU THINK THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT THE POLLING NUMBERS OR IF YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT PUBLIC OPINION OR IF THAT VOTE -- IF THAT TRAIN HAS COME AND GONE?

>> YEAH, I THINK -- YOU LOOK AT -- WE DIDN'T POLL THIS SPECIFICALLY, BUT OBVIOUSLY, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL RATINGS AND THEY'RE FINE.

HE'S ABOVE 50%.

DROPPED MAYBE A COUPLE POINTS OVER THE PAST MONTH.

SOME OF THAT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH IDA BUT CERTAINLY IS NOT HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT AND I THINK PART OF IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH AN UNUSUAL STORM THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF A PASS FOR NOT BEING QUITE PREPARED FOR THAT.

THE REAL MEASUREMENT IS HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH AND I THINK ON THE AFTERMATH, WITH THE EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS, EXPANDING THAT TO MORE COUNTIES, THAT HELPS MURPHY.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS POLL THAT CIATTARELLI CAN TAKE AWAY AS A POSITIVE?

>> THE THING IS, CIATTARELLI HAS BEEN TRYING TO HAMMER AWAY AT THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THE POLL THAT ARE NEGATIVES FOR PHIL MURPHY AND THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE WORKING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, AGAIN, IF THIS WERE DIFFERENT DAY AND AGE, THE REPUBLICAN WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD FOCUS ON TAXES.

YOU COULD FOCUS ON SOME OF THOSE ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH STATEWIDE.

BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT COVID RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S A STARK DIVIDE IN THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHERE THEY STAND ON COVID-19 AND A MAJORITY BASICALLY AGREE WITH MURPHY'S POSITION ON IT, AND THAT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO KIND OF CHANGE THE TONE OF THE CONVERSATION.

>> WE KEEP HEARING FROM SOME OF THE SURROGATES FOR THE CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN THAT THERE'S DISCRETE SURGE OF MOMENTUM BEHIND HIM RIGHT NOW.

ANY EVIDENCE?

CERTAINLY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY IN THIS POLL.

>> I THINK ONE THING THAT THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS CREATING A SURGE OF MOMENTUM IN THE OTHER SIDE, AND THIS IS WHAT I MEAN.

WE SEE THE KIND OF RALLIES, PARTICULARLY AROUND COVID, THESE ANTI-MASK, ANTI-VACCINE RALLIES OR, YOU KNOW, PROTESTS AT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.

THEY REPRESENT A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A MASS MOVEMENT.

THEY REPRESENT NEARLY 2 MILLION PEOPLE BUT NEARLY 4 MILLION VOTERS OR MORE THAN 4 MILLION VOTERS DISAGREE WITH THEM AND IN FACT MANY OF THOSE VOTERS THINK THOSE 2 MILLION ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM AND I THINK WHEN THAT CONVERSATION TURNS AROUND TO THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF RESENTMENT AMONG THE MAJORITY ABOUT THAT MINORITY STANCE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- THE LIKELIHOOD OF MOMENTUM IS PROBABLY MORE GOING TO BE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHEN WE GET INTO OCTOBER THAN TOWARDS CIATTARELLI.

>> SO, WILL WE SEE ANOTHER POLL FROM YOUR GUYS?

>> YEP.

>> BEFORE ELECTION DAY?

>> WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT IN OCTOBER AND SEE WHERE THINGS STAND AFTER WE GET PAST THE DEBATES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

PATRICK MURRAY, DIRECTOR OF THE MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY POLL, THANKS FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES WITH US THIS WEEK, MAN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> ALL RIGHT, PANEL, LET'S HAVE A QUICK MINUTE FROM EACH OF YOU ON HOW YOU SEE THIS POLL.

KATHERINE?

>> IT'S NOT LOOKING GREAT FOR CIATTARELLI.

THERE IS STILL TIME IN THIS CAMPAIGN LEFT, IT'S STILL EARLY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T TUNE IN UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BUT PATRICK IS VERY GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES AND YOU KNOW, THINGS AREN'T LOOKING GREAT.

>> YEAH.

DANIEL?

>> I HAVE TO AGREE.

SURE, DITTO.

I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT COULD CHANGE NOW IS HOW MUCH OF A MAJORITY THE GOVERNOR COULD WIN BY, WHETHER IT'S A LANDSLIDE OR IT'S A BIT NARROWER.

I MEAN, WE WENT FROM 16 TO A 13-POINT LEAD BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY SURPRISES BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION.

WE'LL SEE HOW THE DEBATE PANS OUT, BUT EVEN THEN, I THINK, IN THIS AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, MOST PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MINDS AND I THINK THE DEBATES, THE GUBERNATORIAL DEBATES MIGHT HAVE A MUTED IMPACT THAN THE PRE-SOCIAL MEDIA ERA.

>> THERE HAS BEEN A SENSE, CHARLES, THAT CIATTARELLI'S BEEN THROWING THE KITCHEN SINK AT MURPHY ON EVERY ISSUE FROM SEX EDUCATION TO COVID AND IMMIGRATION CARRYING COVID TO OUR STATE FROM THE BORDER.

NONE OF IT SEEMS TO HAVE STUCK.

AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THIS POLL.

BUT THE ISSUE, AS THEY SAY IN THE MOVIES, HAS BEEN THERE ALL ALONG.

TAXES AND AFFORDABILITY.

I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LATEST AD THAT WE GOT FROM THE CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT IT, CHARLES.

LET'S SHOW THAT.

>> SURE.

>> HAVE YOU SEEN THE ADS?

PHIL MURPHY'S LYING ABOUT ME.

I WOULD TOO IF I HAD HIS RECORD.

I'M JACK CIATTARELLI.

PHIL MURPHY'S FAILED US AT EVERY TURN.

HE'S INCREASED SPENDING $11 BILLION.

ARE YOU BETTER OFF?

MURDERS AND GUN VIOLENCE ARE WAY UP.

THE LINES AT MOTOR VEHICLES ARE A JOKE.

AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAXES IN THE NATION, YET PHIL MURPHY SAYS IF TAXES ARE YOUR ISSUE, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT YOUR STATE.

NO WONDER HE WANTS TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

NEW JERSEY, WE CAN DO BETTER.

WHEN I'M GOVERNOR, WE WILL.

>> CHARLIE, IS THAT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE AFFORDABILITY AND TAXES MESSAGE THAT HE APPEARS TO REALLY NEED TO START HITTING?

>> YES, I DO THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS -- POINTS TO ONE OF MURPHY'S VULNERABILITIES.

I THINK THE PROBLEM, THOUGH, FOR CIATTARELLI IS THAT 50% OF VOTERS STILL DON'T HAVE AN OPINION OF HIM AT THIS STAGE OF THE CAMPAIGN.

AND HE'S GOING TO -- THAT'S A BIG MOUNTAIN FOR HIM TO CLIMB WITH LITTLE TIME.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MURPHY TRYING TO FILL THAT VOID WITH A NEGATIVE APPRAISAL OF CIATTARELLI AS A KIND OF TROJAN HORSE FOR TRUMPISM.

SO, YES, IT'S A -- PLAYING TO A VULNERABILITY, BUT IS THERE ENOUGH TIME FOR THAT TO REALLY STICK?

IT LOOKS -- I KIND OF DOUBT IT.

>> KATHERINE, YOU SAID THAT THERE'S TIME FOR A KIND OF COURSE CORRECTION WITH FIVE WEEKS TO GO.

IS THIS AD SORT OF AN INDICATOR THAT MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO START FOCUSING ON THE KIND OF TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN ISSUES THAT LAND IN NEW JERSEY?

>> YEAH, I THINK THESE ARE ISSUES THAT THE CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN HAMMERING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

HE TALKS A LOT ABOUT CRIME, ACTUALLY WAS CITING AN ARTICLE THAT WE WROTE, ONE OF THE STAFF THERE ACTUALLY TAKES -- THERE IS EXTRA CONTEXT THERE, WHICH IS THAT CRIME OVERALL HAS GONE DOWN IN THE STATE, BUT IT'S TRUE THAT CRIMES LIKE MURDER, ET CETERA, HAVE GONE UP.

BUT YEAH, I THINK HE'S BEEN REALLY HAMMERING HOME ON SPENDING, ON TAXES, ON ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND I THINK HE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

>> DANIEL, IT'S NOT A GREAT ECONOMY.

NEW JERSEY ALWAYS SEEMS TO LAG WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

THE POLLS SUGGEST THAT MURPHY'S NOT SUFFERING FROM THAT EITHER.

IS THE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT, THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, ARE THEY LOOKING LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO STICK WITH THE GUY IN THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW?

>> I DON'T THINK WE'VE GOTTEN ANYTHING FROM SORT OF TWO MAIN GROUPS LIKE THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW JERSEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THEY BOTH SEEM TO BE FAIRLY SUPPORTIVE OF SOME OF THE ECONOMIC PRIORITIES THE GOVERNOR'S LAID OUT, SO AID FOR BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY COVID AND BY HURRICANE IDA, THE $14.5 BILLION ECONOMIC INCENTIVE PACKAGE.

WE JUST HAD A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES COMMIT TO MOVING TO NEW JERSEY SO THOSE ARE ALL REAL BIG POINTS THAT THE GOVERNOR CAN SAY THAT WE'RE, QUOTE, MAKING A STRONGER NEW JERSEY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE, SO I THINK THE GOVERNOR CERTAINLY DOES HAVE A LOT IN HIS WAR CHEST IF HE WANTS TO SAY THE ECONOMY AND BUSINESSES ARE DOING BETTER IN NEW JERSEY UNDER MY TERM.

>> THE POLL ALSO ASKS ABOUT THE STATE'S U.S.

SENATORS.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS UP.

FOR SENATOR MENENDEZ, HIS APPROVAL'S AT 43%.

DISAPPROVAL AT 35%.

AND FOR SENATOR CORY BOOKER, HIS APPROVAL'S AT 51% WITH HIS DISAPPROVAL NUMBERS AT 32%.

CHARLIE, BOOKER ALWAYS SEEMS TO NEED MORE LOVE THAN MENENDEZ, AND HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO TRY HARDER.

BUT I THINK THE IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OUT OF ALL OF THOSE IS THAT MENENDEZ IS AT 43% APPROVAL, GIVEN ALL THAT HE HAS BEEN THROUGH POLITICALLY.

>> WELL, YEAH, AND THOSE NUMBERS DON'T SURPRISE ME.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BOOKER HAS PLUGGED INTO SOME OF THE NATIONAL MOMENT ISSUES LIKE SOCIAL JUSTICE, REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY AND BLACK FARMERS.

HE'S -- HE HAS, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT A LOT OF VISIBILITY WITH THAT, PLUS HE'S ALMOST A SHOW HORSE.

HE'S GOT HIS GIRLFRIEND'S ROSARIO DAWSON.

HE'S A SHOW HORSE AND MENENDEZ IS A DRAFT HORSE WHO TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POLICY ISSUES AND FOREIGN POLICY DEBATES AND SO IT JUST DOESN'T GET THE SAME SORT OF VISIBILITY AND NEVER HAS.

I MEAN, REMEMBER, CORY BOOKER WAS A CHAMPION OF SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE ANYBODY -- HALF OF THE SENATE HAD CELL PHONES.

>> YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MENTIONED TO ME THE OTHER DAY THAT AS FAR AS FUTURE ASPIRATIONS GO, THAT CORY BOOKER NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE SENATE AND MAYBE RUN FOR GOVERNOR BECAUSE THE SENATE'S NOT WHERE IT'S AT ANYMORE IF YOU WANT A PATH TO THE GOVERNORSHIP -- IF YOU WANT A PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY.

YOU AGREE WITH THAT, CHARLES?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

THAT USED TO BE THE AXIOM BUT THAT CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS.

AND THE SENATE CERTAINLY HAS MORE VISIBILITY.

IT'S EASIER TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE PRESIDENCY THAT WAY, YOU BECOME MORE OF A NATIONAL FIGURE MUCH EASIER THAN SITTING IN TRENTON.

BUT YOU KNOW, DURING THE '90s, YEAH, GOVERNORS WERE THE HOT TICKET BECAUSE THEY COULD GOVERN.

THEY COULD EASILY BUILD TOGETHER A QUICK RECORD OF MANAGEMENT AS EXECUTIVES, BUT THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT HAS MOVED TO WASHINGTON AND THE NATIONAL DEBATE HAS MOVED TO WASHINGTON, SO SINCE FUND-RAISING HAS BECOME A NATIONAL CHORE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN A BETTER POSITION IN THE SENATE.

>> LET ME GET TO A COUPLE OF OTHER ISSUES IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE LEFT.

KATHERINE, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED FREE PAY FOR ALL IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

IS IT REALLY GOING TO TAKE TEN YEARS TO GET UNIVERSAL PRE-K?

>> I MEAN, FROM WHAT HE SAYS, I MEAN, I THINK THIS HAS ENDED UP BEING A PRETTY AMBITIOUS PROPOSAL AND ONE THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME, ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, HE OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT BE -- EVEN IF HE DID WIN A SECOND TERM, WOULDN'T BE GOVERNOR FOR THAT LONG, SO I KNOW THE COST OVERALL IN TERMS OF ESTIMATES HAS GONE UP, HOW MUCH OF YOUR COST AND YEAH, SO, I MEAN, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK IT SHOWS THAT POLICY CHANGE, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES, SPECIFIC POLICY CHANGE CAN BE SLOWER THAN MAYBE SOME WOULD LIKE.

>> YEAH.

ON THIS IDA RECOVERY, THE GOVERNOR'S HOLDING A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL THIS WEEK ON IT.

PROBABLY RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE RECORDING THIS PROGRAM.

HOW'S MAIN STREET BUSINESS GETTING BACK ON ITS FEET, DANIEL?

>> I THINK FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, THE DEMAND HASN'T BEEN AS GREAT AS FOR STATE ASSISTANCE OF, SAY, I MEAN, COVID.

I REMEMBER A WEEK AGO THE NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OPENED UP GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR MONEY THAT BUSINESSES COULD GET TO HELP HOLD THEM OVER UNTIL THEY GET MUCH BIGGER FEDERAL LOANS, AND WHEREAS WITH THE COVID RELIEF, THOSE GRANTS, THE APPLICATIONS, IT WAS LIKE THOUSANDS OF APPLICATIONS AN HOUR AFTER APPLICATIONS OPENED.

IT'S A LOT MORE OF A TRICKLE, SO I THINK THAT INDICATES THAT BUSINESSES HAVEN'T BEEN HAMMERED AS HARD, CERTAINLY STILL ARE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SUFFERED BUT IT WASN'T TO SUCH A WIDESPREAD EXTENT THAT WE WERE SEEING WITH COVID.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO, OCTOBER IS BASICALLY HERE.

THAT BEGINS THE DEBATE PROCESS.

I GUESS TUESDAY, THE 28th OR 27th OR SO IS THE FIRST DEBATE AT NJ PAC.

I WANT TO HAVE EACH OF YOU SERVE AS A DEBATE ADVISOR TO BOTH CAMPS.

LET'S START WITH YOU, KATHERINE.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR JACK AND FOR PHIL MURPHY WHEN IT COMES TO THE UPCOMING DEBATE?

>> OH, GOOD QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF BOTH OF THE CANDIDATES, I MEAN, AND MAYBE THIS IS JUST ME AS A REPORTER, I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF MURPHY WAS ELECTED TO A SECOND TERM, YOU KNOW, IF CIATTARELLI WON.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF -- SOME SPECIFICS BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE MORE.

>> YEAH, GOOD PIECE THIS WEEK, I THINK, DUSTIN WROTE IT.

TALKING ABOUT, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THESE GUYS REALLY STAND FOR.

SO, DANIEL, LET'S GET FROM YOU, SOME ADVICE FOR BOTH OF THESE CANDIDATES, EITHER STYLISTICALLY OR SUBSTANCE-WISE, AS THEY HEAD INTO THE DEBATES.

>> I THINK THAT BOTH NEED TO, AS KATHERINE SAID, AND AS DUSTIN REPORTED ON, REALLY NEED TO HAMMER OUT THE STANCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE.

I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY, WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE OR COULD HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT I THINK THERE DOES NEED TO BE A STRONGER STANCE ON SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC THAN, I GUESS, QUOTE, BUILDING A STRONGER AND FAIRER NEW JERSEY.

I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE WORDS TO THAT.

MORE SUBSTANCE.

>> CHARLIE, DOES JACK CIATTARELLI HAVE TO USE THE WORD JACK CIATTARELLI A HUNDRED TIMES SO THAT PEOPLE GET TO KNOW THAT JACK CIATTARELLI IS ACTUALLY RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR?

>> THAT WOULD HELP, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE -- HE'S STREAMLINED HIS NAME TO JACK IN HIS SLOGAN.

>> RIGHT.

>> AS A NOD TO 1994 CAMPAIGN WHERE HE HAD TO GO THROUGH PHONETIC EXERCISES TO EACH VOTER TO GET PEOPLE TO REMEMBER HOW TO PRONOUNCE HIS NAME.

>> JUST CALL ME CHUCK.

>> YEAH.

HE SAID, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PHONETIC EXERCISE.

I CAN'T DO IT THIS WAY.

BUT IF I WERE ADVISING CIATTARELLI, I WOULD URGE HIM TO STICK TO THE ISSUE OF TAXES AND DRIVE THAT ISSUE HOME AND -- BECAUSE THE CORE OF HIS MESSAGE IS, I'M A COMPETENT MANAGER.

I'M A NUMBERS GUY.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR POCKETBOOKS AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY SURVIVE DAY-TO-DAY BUT TO RETIRE HERE.

I THINK IT'S A POTENT ISSUE.

IF I WERE MURPHY, I'D URGE HIM TO CONTINUE POUNDING AWAY PROGRESSIVE THEMES, WHICH HE'S BEEN DOING, SORT OF THESE HAIRY PROGRESSIVE PORTRAIT BECAUSE THAT'S VERY POPULAR WITH THE BASE, AS YOU SAW IN THE MONMOUTH POLL, IT REALLY RALLIES THE BASE AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE A MUCH BIGGER BASE, SO IT HELPS WITH TURNOUT.

>> WE JUST SAW SOME VIDEO THERE OF DIANE ALLEN.

SHE WAS ANNOUNCED WITH A BIG SPLASH, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD FROM HER SINCE, CHARLIE.

WHY ARE THEY HIDING DIANE ALLEN?

I THOUGHT SHE WAS THE BIG ASSET.

>> BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO VOTE FOR DIANE ALLEN.

THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR JACK CIATTARELLI OR PHIL MURPHY.

SO, WE ONLY HAVE A SMALL BODY OF WORK WHEN IT COMES TO THE ROLE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS, BUT USUALLY, MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MAKING THEIR DECISION BASED ON THE PRIMARY CANDIDATE AND SINCE CIATTARELLI, AS WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, IS STILL A RELATIVE UNKNOWN QUANTITY TO MOST PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T STAND TO, YOU KNOW, PUT HER OUT THERE TOO MUCH AND ECLIPSE HIM RIGHT NOW.

HE'S GOT TO GRAB EVERY FREE MOMENT HE CAN.

>> KATHERINE, DO YOU THINK HE'S DEBATES ARE GOING TO HAVE ANY REAL IMPACT?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE TUNING INTO THEM ARE PEOPLE WHO MAYBE ALREADY ARE VERY INFORMED AND HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND, SO I GUESS I'M SKEPTICAL, PERSONALLY, BUT I GUESS WE'LL SEE IN THE RESULTS OF, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER POLL THAT COMES OUT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOU'LL BE HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT THE NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS DEBATE COMING UP IN OCTOBER AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE MOST INFLUENCE, OF COURSE.

THAT'S "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD SAY.

>> WHAT A PLUG THAT WAS.

OH, MAN.

>> NICE, HUH?

THANKS TO OUR PANEL.

CHARLES, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS, AND TO OUR GUEST, PATRICK MURRAY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @DAVIDCRUZNJ AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET MORE "CHAT BOX," NJ BUSINESS BEAT AND NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR EVERYONE OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY REALTORS, THE VOICE FOR REAL ESTATE IN NEW JERSEY.

MORE INFORMATION IS ONLINE AT NJREALTOR.COM.

RWJBARNABAS HEALTH.

LET'S BE HEALTHY TOGETHER.

AND BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

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