>> Major funding for "Reporters Roundtable" is provided by RWJ Barnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

NJN insurance group.

Promotional support 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.

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♪ >> is there really a battle for the hearts and minds of the NJ GOP?

Hey, everybody, it is "Reporters Roundtable."

I'm David Cruise.

Our panel today, the senior writer and projects editor for N J spotlight news, a columnist for "insider NJ," and a columnist for the record at North Jersey.com.

We begin today with an assessment of the GOP in the aftermath of the Fox defamation settlement.

Here to talk about that and more is Republican State Senator and budget officer Declan of Scanlan.

Always a pleasure to see you.

Thank you.

Senator o'Scanlan: Pleasure to be here.

>> you tweeted afterwards, time to put this issue, these claims behind us.

Who were you talking to?

Quick some talking to anybody who is going to perpetuate them including, yes, former President Trump.

Can he pitted at this point and talk about relative things?

He absolutely can, and he can be pretty articulate when he puts his mind to the issues people care about, and this is no longer one of them.

We have to understand as a Republican party, first off, what is our overarching mission, and then what is our goal in this upcoming election, the next national election in 2024?

I think those things overlap, and winning and controlling policy needs to be our goal, not perpetuating or affirming claims of stolen elections, which have been pretty thoroughly debunked now, but even if someone wants to continue to debate those things, they are not the things that are going to win elections for Republicans.

There's enough people who have said that more eloquently than I have, Governor Christie being one of them, but it is time.

Fox News was the chief purveyor of these theories, and we now know that the chief purveyor's who were doing it were trashing these theories moments before they would go on air sometimes, so it is time to be honest, move on, and focus on issues that swing voters who we cannot win without care about.

>> you mentioned Trump.

Has the New Jersey party come to terms on the Trump question?

Quick snow, and is it's probably a little early for that, but you know, there is debate that is going on.

I speak to a lot of folks, and I think there is very open-minded debate, and I think it is starting to be framed in a way we need to decide what our overarching goal is.

If it is to win, then our path is absolutely clear.

Again, we need to start talking about things that will persuade middle-of-the-road undecided voters to come our way.

We saw the negative impact that focusing on some of these tangential issues can have in last year's elections.

There was supposed to be this massive red wave that never materialized.

It was a red ripple.

We should have won the house 560 seats.

We should have won a majority of the Senate.

We did not do either one of those.

So that is a clear message to the Republican Party that, again, the folks we need to win -- and there's a high concentration of those swing voters here in New Jersey, but those voters that we care about, we need to care about and need to have with us, are ready for us to be over talking about those issues and ready for us to move on.

>> red ripple, that sounds like a delicious table line.

You called your party a big tent party when we spoke a couple of weeks ago, and I made a face and you made a face.

That suggested diversity of what?

Thought in your party?

>> Yeah.

I just spoke to folks walking by my house 20 minutes ago who said to me that they are looking for new energy in the Republican Party.

They will not necessarily vote for us unless we provide that energy, and these were pretty moderate folks.

We talked about several issues, and there's room for those people in the party.

We cannot be a party of purity unless that is all we are going to be and be out of power.

We need to be a party with conviction, communicate areas like I happen to be pro-life.

There are plenty of people in the party and plenty who are swing voters, who are pro-choice.

There needs to be mutual dialogue with respect, and there is room for that.

And the party can do that and has shown in the past it can do that.

I believe we are a big tent party, and I believe that this -- we can have that debate at the very top and we can impress people with that fact and went over those voters.

I'm absolutely confident.

Quick to Democrats that I talk to say there's two sides to your party -- the right wing and the right wing nuts.

Unfair?

>> That is absolutely unfair.

>> Are the wing nuts having a moment in your party right now?

>> There's wing nuts on both sides.

The leftist progressives are having a moment in the Democratic Party and they are in charge.

There are colorful, interesting -- and I say this with affection -- crazy people on both sides of the aisle, and both parties need those folks, too.

We need to energized the base.

You don't, though, want to get into bed with destructive people.

I believe the Democratic Party has done that more from a policy perspective than the Republican Party has, but there is a limit.

There are some wings of the party that you need to let them know that, you know, we are not going to pander to you.

But there are some really, really brilliant, strong, leading conservatives are hard-core conservatives in the party who I genuinely like who can still have a dialogue, who can still realize that some of the people they are going to partner with they disagree with and encourage people to vote for them, too.

I think we have that.

We just need to make sure this happens consistently at the state level for this fall's elections and at the national level, it's going to be a fascinating couple of cycles coming up.

>> you mentioned the state elections coming up.

We had Chris Russell and Dan Brian on Chat Box this week.

I asked about where Republicans expect to make some inroads, and Chris Russell rattled off a half-dozen districts.

Dan Brian, same question, not a one.

What does that say to you?

>> I think there's a number of areas where -- certainly regions where we have opportunities where some of these districts overlap, certainly down south.

South Jersey has been trending Republican really dramatically and interestingly now for a decade, but certainly in a concentrated way in the past half-dozen years.

They are not really contesting it anymore.

There's a number of areas where we can make inroads, in central and north New Jersey as well.

I think we have a real shot here.

And we've got a great narrative.

It is very easy to tell the story of fiscal responsibility in New Jersey that Republicans have a spouse for years.

We can tell that story.

-- that Republicans have espoused for years.

We can tell about our -- our deep plans, but the key is to appeal to those right wing swinging voters.

If we can get them, we can win.

>> We heard about the Senate President and some campaign spending that would have probably drawn a complaint from the election law enforcement commission except that they are past the statute of limitations.

I feel like we are going to start seeing a lot of this.

Is there any way to make the elections transparency act smell good?

>> There is not.

I could generously call it a tragic missed opportunity.

I could be less generous and say it turned out to be exactly what the Democrats want, which was to defang the election law enforcement commission.

That is what happened.

Either way, it really was an awful piece of legislation.

Nobody who voted for that piece of legislation can lay claim going forward or caring about fair, honest, open, and accountable elections because the entity is irrelevant now.

It is very hard to do these investigations in two years.

It sounds like at long time, but you have candidates themselves who stalled these investigations.

It is really a shame.

There was a way you could have fixed it.

It would have been reasonable to cut the statute of limitations to five years from 10.

The executive director, all of these people appointed by the governor, it really smells, and says a shame.

>> Senator Declan o'scanlon, appreciate it.

I joke this week that Joe Biden was running for reelection even though 50% of Democrats don't want him to.

Has there been a larger enthusiasm gap for a sitting president that you can remember?

>> I think it depends on your definition is.

You look at the Trump presidency, certainly half the country did not like him either.

So, yes, but I think, I mean, if we go back before these times, presidents have ups and downs, but the issue clearly with Biden is his age and that he would be -- I believe it is 86 at the end of his term if he does win a second term, so that is the question.

I mean, I guess it does not matter to ask now if he should be running because he is running , but clearly, a lot of Democrats would have preferred someone else.

>> Yeah, lots of talk about mental acuity from Republicans.

Biden is 80 right now and has sometimes looked every one of those years, to be honest, but is that fair game?

Here's a Rutgers professor from a story we did on this earlier in the week.

Let's hear that and come back.

>> In my opinion, I think he demand of the job, you know, required good health, and I think probably a younger person would be better, you know?

Just to be utterly Frank.

It does not mean someone Biden's age cannot do the job.

The question is -- is that person best for the job?

Probably not.

I think the best argument Democrats can make is Biden is the best person in this moment for the job.

>> you asked if rated -- raising Biden's age as a campaign issue was ageist.

What did you come up with?

>> I think it is a little bit ageist.

I also think these continuing accusations from Republicans about Biden's dementia, that sort of thing -- you should read the mail that I get from some of these Republican voters.

I mean, it just screams out with bigotry over the sort of thing.

Look, is Biden an old guy?

Absolutely.

He's really old, but, you know, the Democrats are going with the best right now.

I agree with the previous commentator from Rutgers.

He's probably not the best guy we would like to see running, but right now, this is what we've got.

I mean, look at the Democratic bench.

I'm sorry, Pete Buttigieg?

No way.

, Harris, she's not ready for prime time I don't think, -- Kamala Harris, she's not ready for prime time I don't think, and I think Democrats would say as much.

If Democrats want to win, I think Biden is their best bet.

I really believe that.

I also think he is doing a pretty good job.

I do wish he was a lot younger, but I think given the set of cards he was handed when he walked through the White House, I think he has done a pretty good job.

You know something?

As I said in my column this week, there's no chaos in this White House.

There's no scandals that we are looking at every other week that we had with Trump.

Biden lowered the temperature, and that's no small thing.

I think this other issue that he's running for the soul of America, that is hugely important.

We essentially had a liar, a man who simply lied at will in the White House under Donald Trump, and now I think we've got somebody who is very, very different.

That is important in our country, and I think we need to recognize that.

Yeah, I think age is a really important issue to discuss, but I also think we need to discuss some deeper issues, and I agree with Senator o'scanlon about the question of fiscal responsibility, and I think Biden needs to circle back and touch on some of the so-called kitchen table issues and not just focus on soul of America, as important as that is.

That's the field that we've got right now.

>> Ronald Reagan was 70 when he became president, and memory -- many people thought he was too old.

70 is not 80, but is 80 the new 70?

>> It may be, but Republicans said Joe Biden had dementia, and that's going to continue.

Obviously, that is ageism, but simply because something is ageism does not mean it is not a viable political attack.

I think the danger for Democrats is that, as we know, a lot of people, at least some people only once every four years now really follow things closely and they see an 83-year-old guy, they may say he's just too old to run.

If he runs against Donald Trump again, which is certainly a possibility, then the age issue kind of disappears because they are both old guys.

In theory, if he runs against Ron DeSantis, despite his vulnerabilities, the danger is that some people may say Mr. Biden is 82 and this guy is 45 and some may lean automatically to the younger guy.

>> state politics has been all over the place this week.

The state Supreme Court is hearing arguments over if former sibling and Jason O'Donnell, running for mayor of Bayonne in 2019, accepted a bribe when he took a bag of cash, $10,000 worth, and promised to give her a big city job.

O'Donnell's argument is that he was only a candidate and not the mayor, so it was not a bribe.

I mean, that's some hot spot -- that's some chutzpah right there, is it not?

>> it does not surprise me.

If I recall, I believe that was a Baskin-Robbins ice cream bag of cash.

Those are pink and brown and, really, the image is great.

I think the argument, at least as I understand it, while he won the environment in the Superior Court, the Appellate Division said, come on, this is silly.

Obviously, when he becomes -- if he becomes mayor, he has the power to fulfill this bribe, so that may be where the Supreme Court is ruling or is leading, but we will find out.

>> I want to see a ruling that just says, "come on."

I feel some strong condemnation brewing over there.

You want to say something?

>> This is such a jersey story.

>> keep it tight.

>> I will.

>> this is such a Jersey story.

Mr. O'Donnell should, in my opinion, Don a hair shirt and asked forgiveness.

What a ridiculous move he made.

Just ridiculous.

>> I don't remember much about Jason O'Donnell in the assembly, but some may remember him as the guy that Barbara Bono wanted as Party Chair person when she ran for governor.

He is a long way from there now, isn't he?

>> Something about basic common sense.

If someone gives you cash in a paper bag, that's not exactly good.

You should not have taken it.

Kind of incredulous to say that it's not a bribe.

Obviously it was, and I hope the Supreme Court agrees.

>> Governor stuff because why not.

Jersey Senator Steve Philip picked up an endorsement from Mayor Marty small.

Who is paying attention to the stuff?

Anybody?

>> you and me and Colleen and Fred, I think.

>> I'm not sure Fred is paying much attention to it.

>> I thought this was significant, and let me tell you why.

I think a mayor running for governor is an interesting candidate.

I don't know how strong, if you will get any traction whatsoever, but I respect Marty small, and I think this could well be an interesting endorsement.

Who knows what will happen in the long run, but I thought it was noted when I heard about this, and I took note of it, I should say, because I think when you are having a mayor runs and other mayors to get behind him, let's see what happens.

>> Steve Sweeney still being coy about running for governor, but he's got a new 501(c) for backing him.

Technically, candidates are not supposed to coordinate, but if Sweeney speaks at the fundraiser and Governor Murphy's wife runs one of these and Philips' wife runs another, not suggesting that it does with any of the Government and individuals, but why shouldn't people believe that coordination never takes place?

>> It is a given.

I think it is a given.

It does not take place overtly, but it certainly takes place in other ways.

One of the things we have seen at the federal level is that the candidate are usually the incumbent will put out pictures or be rolled just in a public place on the Internet, and then this group can use that to create its ads.

Come on, I mean, maybe it is not technically coordination, but we all know what is going on.

We would expect that if Sweeney is running, there will be a dark money group behind him.

>> What is the potential of the Attorney General's investigation into some George Norcross-associated companies?

Should we be watching that for something?

>> Absolutely.

I think this has been simmering for a long time.

This is obviously something to look at, and everyone -- not everyone, but the people who follow this understand, and I don't see Steve Sweeney running for governor.

I don't think he will be a formidable candidate at all.

When Steve Sweeney lost his Senate seat to a guy who famously spent virtually no money, that's not exactly a good way to run for governor.

>> I got about 20 seconds for this.

Congressman Tom King Junior facing demonstrators calling on him to show his face and hold a live town hall.

>> I'm trying to reach Tom Kane Junior on the phone now, and I'm getting busy signals.

Where is he?

>> But let me ask you this, though, seriously, is the public really hankering for two hours with Tom Kane Junior?

>> I know.

Can't we watch Netflix or something else?

But I agree.

I think this is much ado about nothing.

In the current state of the Republican party, it is tough to be that traditional Jersey moderate GOP guy.

It just is simply difficult to do that I think in the Congress, and I think he is biding his time.

That does not say the Democrats will not be biting his heels, which is what they are doing.

>> Netflix and chilling with Tom Kane Junior.

Time for our only in Jersey moment, headlines and notes that are quintessentially Jersey.

Colleen, you got one for us.

>> I cannot believe I'm saying this, but yet again, the question arose in Trenton on Thursday -- is there a central Jersey?

I mean, is there another place that would not acknowledge or where there is such a debate over if it portion of the state exists?

We heard from Senator Wicker of the budget committee where he was talking to the Secretary of State.

>> My last question is probably the most important question that I have, critically important, actually.

Directed to you.

Does central Jersey exist?

[LAUGHTER] >> Well, without commenting on any specific legislation, I would say central Jersey does exist.

>> Critically important question.

>> The thinking Mahomes legislator.

It is a lesson on talking the talk and walking the walk.

Former Senate majority leader Weinberg retired last year from the Senate.

88 years old, just moved into a retirement community, and while most of us would be home watching "Matlock" reruns before hitting the blue plate special at the TikTok, Loretto Weinberg is out there organizing grandparents against gun violence, still calling them out on all the important issues, and that is "roundtable" for this week.

Good to see you all.

Thanks.

Thanks also to Declan o'scanlon for joining us.

You can also follow us on Twitter and get fresh content every day when you subscribe to the YouTube channel.

Thanks for watching.

We will see you next week.

>> Major funding for "Reporters Roundtable" with David Cruz is provided by rwj Barnabas health.

Let's be healthy together.

Njn insurance group, serving the insurance needs of New Jersey businesses and residents for more than 100 years.

Promotional support 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, and by Politico's New Jersey playbook, a topical newsletter on Garden State politics, online at Politico.com.