[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC STING] - Hi everyone.

Steve Adubato.

We're honored once again to be joined by State Senator Jon Bramnick.

Jon, good to see you.

- Good to see you, Steve.

Thanks for having me on.

- You got it.

Senator, let's kick this off in a certain way because we're taping on the 21st of March.

If, and again, this will be seen after, if the former President Donald Trump, the titular head of the Republican Party in this country is in fact indicted in New York by the DA, what would it mean, not just for the Republican party, but more importantly, for the country?

- Well, I have two opinions.

The first opinion is anytime Donald Trump is in the news, it's bad for Republicans in New Jersey.

To me, he's a terrible image for Republicans in New Jersey.

The things he did on January 6th, the way he talks to people, his hateful rhetoric.

So I think it's bad that he's in the news.

With respect to the New York indictment, assuming it occurs, the bottom line there is it's probably good for Donald Trump and it's probably not the best way to start an offense by prosecutors against the former president because it's a New York grand jury.

It's basically a Manhattan prosecutor.

and I think that helps him with his base and it's probably something he'll use to raise money, but it's, none of it's good for the country.

- You know, Senator, you talk about the base.

With all due respect, the base, say it's 30, 35% of the Republican party that is loyal to Donald Trump, as he said back in, I think 2016, if he were to go out and shoot someone on 5th Avenue, they'd still be with him.

I don't know if that's true.

That's not really the point.

But the question is, you don't feel part of that base, do you?

You've never felt part of that base.

And it seems to those of us who observe politics in this state and nation, you're less a part of that base than ever as a moderate reasonable Republican.

- Well, when I speak to people about this, other than what I think are the extremists, they'll whisper to me, "Hey, thanks for saying those things."

But they're afraid to do it too loudly because of these, in my judgment, extremist voices in the Republican party.

I still think that most of the Republicans are not extremists, and most of them don't really respect the way Donald Trump handles himself.

But they're afraid to say so.

When I did that, the Trumpers ran against me in a general election just so I would lose.

They knew they couldn't win, but they wanted to pull Republican votes from me.

So I understand why Republicans are afraid.

I'm not afraid.

To me, he's an embarrassment to the Republican party.

He's dangerous in terms of what I saw on January 6th.

And he's a problem for New Jersey Republicans.

I'm not afraid to speak out.

I've been in this business for a while.

I respect people like Ronald Reagan, George Bush, people who showed civility, respect, but were conservative, and to me, policy-oriented, not about themselves.

- As we are into the spring of 2023 and bring it back home to New Jersey, the biggest beef or the biggest concern you have about the Murphy administration, governor Murphy's administration, on public policy is?

- Well, he's an extremist also.

I like Bill Murphy.

But when you see what he does in terms of his policies, in my judgment, it's way too far to the left.

And what happens is, the only reason I think somebody like Murphy gets reelected, though as I said I like him personally, is because they don't trust the Republicans.

The Republican brand has, in my judgment, been injured and hurt by people like Trump.

So what happens is in this last election, we lost because they don't trust Republicans, not that they love Democrats.

So we've seen him sign legislation that allowed a police officer, okay, that actually put a police officer in a criminal situation if he told parents of a 10-year-old that the 10-year-old was drinking beer or smoking marijuana.

That's extreme.

So we've seen it over and over again from the Murphy administration, but we can't win because the moderate independent voters don't trust the Republican brand.

And I'm gonna fight like hell.

I'm gonna fight to make sure that brand is a brand of civility, respect, and moderation.

- Senator, I appreciate you bringing up that particular example.

However, isn't it fair to say that Governor Murphy has tried to strike a balance between being progressive, but also being sensitive to the business community, to be supportive of affordable, accessible quality childcare.

We'll have a graphic up that talks about our Reimagine Child Care initiative.

I mean, isn't the governor in many ways reflecting the will of most New Jerseyans who are moderate and want a government that's active but doesn't overreach, but also is concerned about small business?

Hasn't the governor in many ways struck that balance?

- Not really.

I think people in his own party, if you listen to Democrats in the Senate and the Assembly, they believe he's too far to the left.

We had a meeting recently with Judiciary, and if you listen to the members, they believe- - You mean the Judiciary Committee on the Senate?

- I'm sorry, Judiciary Committee.

And they're not happy with a lot of the policies that actually favor the extreme wing of the Democratic party.

You know that as well, Steve.

So bottom line here is, yes, I saw him now end the sunset, or should I say not renew the CBT tax that corporate- - The corporate business tax that many on the left are peeved at the governor for doing away with, but many in the business community say, "All right, the governor hears us."

That's what I mean by some arguing that there's a balance, you say.

- Well, I think he's starting to move a little bit.

He may run for national office.

He's showing a little moderation now.

But historically, I don't think if you polled the people in New Jersey that you would find that he's a moderate.

You know, as I said, he wins and he wins because of the Republican brand and not because most New Jerseyans think he is the voice of New Jersey.

But nice man, and I have to give him credit for this, he doesn't pick fights and he's able to be balanced when someone criticizes him.

So in a certain sense, he's been successful, and a lot of it has to do with he's got a really good personality.

I remember he studied acting at Harvard and, you know, he's pretty good at it.

And as I said, I'm not criticizing him individually, but I've seen many of his policy far to the left.

- All right, before I let you go, two things.

Number one, the senator mentions the governor's background in drama.

The senator fails to mention that he has been selected, I'm not sure who committee was, he is the funniest, as the funniest lawyer state senator in the nation.

I'm not sure the bar is particularly high, Senator.

- But I didn't study it, I didn't study it.

He actually, I believe he majored at Harvard in drama.

- Senator, how high could that bar be to be the funniest legislator, senator, and lawyer in the country?

Seriously, how high could that bar be?

- It's a little higher than the funniest accountant in New Jersey, but I agree with you.

The competition's very light.

- Got it.

Senator, real quick, 30 seconds.

On our initiative Reimagine Child Care, the reason quality affordable childcare is so important, party aside, politics aside, is?

- Well, because we want everyone to have an opportunity to work.

Childcare is absolutely essential for people who wanna work.

So yeah, that's something we all need to work together on a bipartisan basis, absolutely, Steve.

- Check out our website in terms of Reimagine Child Care to find out more.

State Senator Jon Bramnick, we wish you all the best to you and your family, and check him out because he also does some work on the road as a comedian.

Thank you, Jon.

- Thank you, Steve.

I appreciate it.

- Stay with us.

We'll be right back.

- [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato Is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

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