Well, we're going to turn now and take a look at some of the top political headlines making news this week across the state.

Senior political correspondent and host of Reporters Roundtable, David Cruz, joins us with a panel of journalists who cover New Jersey.

David, good to see you.

This is typically when we're in the dog days of summer, but the governor's race has been pretty hot for August and July, as far as they go.

What's happening this week?

That's a good lead-in, because I was thinking that very thing about how it's usually quiet in the summer and we get a respite.

But no, it seems we can't avoid these candidates in the summer.

We're joined by Alia Schneider of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daniel Hahn of Politico NJ, and Brent Johnson of NJ Advance Media.

Welcome to you all.

I hope your summers are going very well.

Let's talk about that governor's race.

As you heard Brianna say, it's usually quieter, but maybe it's social media or whatever it is, but we're hearing a lot from these candidates.

Alia, you had a piece today about Jack Ciattarelli hanging with the MAGA crowd.

What's up with that?

Yes, he is.

So this Saturday, Jack Ciattarelli will be hanging with the MAGA crowd on the Jersey Shore in a very Republican area.

Scott Pressler, who is a get-out-the-vote activist and Internet celebrity of sorts, will be having this rally that is aimed at party unity, and he's really trying to bring out people who may have supported other candidates during the GOP primary to support Jack and come together to try to flip the state red.

Isn't there usually, you know, like the conventional wisdom is in the primary, you tack right and/or left, and then you come towards the center during the general election.

Have they just abandoned that?

Do they think that the right wing and the MAGA crowd are going to carry the election for them?

Well, it's interesting, because there was a divide in the primary among people who support Trump.

And so there were voters who supported Bill Spadia, who argued he was more of a Trump loyalist than Jack Ciattarelli.

And so I think bringing Scott Pressler in, they're able to bring in some of those people who were fans of Trump longer than Jack was, because Jack wasn't always part of the MAGA crowd.

And meanwhile, Jack is also campaigning with other members of the party who haven't been longtime MAGA supporters.

That being said, MAGA is really dominating the party at this point.

And so Jack kind of has to lean into that if he wants the masses of the party to come support him.

Meanwhile, Dan "Mikey" Sherrill is facing problems from the left.

Is she with Mamdani?

Where is she on immigration?

Do they know this in the Sherrill campaign, or are they just saying to themselves, well, listen, where else are the progressives going to go?

Well, Congresswoman Mikey Sherrill is a moderate Democrat, and I think she has to really thread the needle of energizing the party's more progressive base while still appealing to independents and maybe soft Republicans come November.

To the point about Mamdani, Ciattarelli has really wanted to make Mamdani the Democratic Socialist nominee for New York City mayor, an issue in the New Jersey governor's race.

And he's tried to do that, but actually just as of this taping, Mamdani has come out and said that he will support Sherrill for governor.

So now that really forces Sherrill to have to address the Mamdani issue, and it keeps the issue in the news cycle for longer, in which Ciattarelli hopes to paint the congresswoman as maybe further left than she actually is.

Yeah, they love that.

Brent, is there a battle for black voters?

You had something in your newsletter about this.

Yeah, it's widely been considered that black voters, especially black women, are a big base for the Democratic Party.

And this race is a little bit interesting in particular because there was a candidate running to become the first black governor of New Jersey in the primary, Razz Baraka, the mayor of Newark, who finished second to Sherrill.

And some of his supporters, especially the women supporters, said they were struggling to connect with Sherrill, a white woman congresswoman from a suburban part of New Jersey.

And they're saying they just want to be more involved.

They want to have more of a voice in her campaign.

Meanwhile, Jack is trying to get black voters on his side as well.

So this may be a big voting block in this election.

And black voters should not be underestimated when it comes to how much the law and order theme appeals to black voters.

I've heard that in some reporting that we were doing.

Real quick, this is kind of an out of left field question, but since we're hearing a lot from the governor, the gubernatorial candidates this summer, a lot of it is through social media.

Who's doing social media better?

Quick answer, Leah.

Well, I think, you know, Jack does a lot of retail politics where he goes around and meets with lots of different voters in the state, posts a lot about it.

Mikey's often busy at the Capitol.

You know, she also does appearances.

But I feel like recently she's been trying to lean more into showing that she can also do retail politics.

She recently started a video series that shows her having a conversation with constituents, which I think is interesting because some may view that as being a little staged.

But it also shows that she's also out there talking to voters.

And they've been tweeting at each other a lot.

I think Jack is a big tweeter.

And I think that's kind of pulled Mikey out as more of a tweeter to respond and kind of go back at him.

So there's been a lot of back and forth on X.

What about these polls?

Do they indicate anything, Brent?

And do we know whether voters are really engaged at this minute?

That's tough to say, because this is kind of the time when people aren't paying as much attention as they do in September or October.

But I mean, we've shown the most recent poll show a single digit race.

And that's kind of what I'm insiders are telling me.

That's kind of how they feel.

Yeah, that it's a single digit close race and that a lot can change and a lot's going to happen in the final few months.

Daniel, I'll start with you, and then you guys can give me also a quick answer.

Will we see Trump stump with Cittarelli in the fall?

Daniel, what do you think?

Cittarelli has said that he would very much is open to having Trump campaign with him.

I think it's a matter of scheduling, but I could definitely see that happening.

Yeah.

Aliyah, what do you think?

Yeah, I think matter of scheduling could definitely see it happening.

We'll find out.

Brent, it could.

I mean, do they feel like Trump is that much of an asset that we'll see him with Cittarelli?

It could be a big spectacle that could at least get them headlines.

I've heard that there are talks to try and make it happen.

Whether it does remains to be seen.

All right.

Brent Johnson, Daniel Hahn, Aliyah Schneider.

Good to see you all.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.

You too.

Thanks.

Bri, we'll send it back to you.

Thanks, David.

I wonder what you make of or what we should make of this early cash infusion from the DNC announced this week on behalf of Mikey Sherrill's ground game.

Are they running scared?

You know, they say they're not running scared, but I think they should know that this is going to be single digits and they feel like their guy has the Jersey thing going for him and that he's going to out hustle her.

She's got some work to do, I think.

All right, David.

Thanks for that.

Thanks to the reporters as well.

Thanks, Bri.

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