>> Major funding for Reporters Roundtable is provided by RWJ Barnabas health, let's be healthy together.

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 New Jersey playbook, a newsletter on Garden State politics.

♪ David: voting has begun.

So who should be shaking in their boots?

hi everybody.

It's Reporters Roundtable.

Our panel of political pundits today includes Colleen O'Day, Senior writer and products editor for NJ Spotlight News.

Insider Fred snow flak and Brett Johnson, political reporter for NJ advanced media.

We will hear from the panel in a few minutes but we begin today on the first week of voting with the entire legislature up for election.

Republicans say they can flip one of the houses.

Democrats say they like their own chances.

Who is right?

joining us to share unbiased opinions is the speaker of the state assembly, Craig Coughlin.

Good to see you again.

Welcome.

>> always good to be with you.

Thanks for having me.

David: the governor likes to say he'd rather be playing the Democrats hand if this is a card game.

Still, the Republicans have been dominating the narrative all summer.

Others think that, too.

Forcing you guys to put distance between yourselves and the governor on offshore wind, parental notifications and schools, highway tolls which he just vetoed.

What is your pitch to voters as voting begins this weekend?

>> the governor is right.

You would rather be playing our hands and the Republican hand.

We have some real cards to play that they don't.

We have made focusing on making things affordable in the state of New Jersey.

We passed the anchor program the last budget.

Last meaning the budget that pass this year, the biggest property tax cut in the history of the state.

This year, we did more for seniors.

We are focused on the issues that matter to people.

What you've seen from our Republican colleagues is nothing more than an attempt to wage voters, to scare them.

Talking about scaremongering they've done at the school level.

They don't really have a record Iran.

They made some noise but the truth of the matter is there isn't substance there.

>> Republicans say you guys are all about a lefty agenda.

Not pocketbook issues.

>> that couldn't be any further from the truth.

The truth of the matter is, when you look at the things that we've done, look at the 20 tax credits we passed over the past of the six years, the anchor program that I talked about that benefits property owners throughout the state of New Jersey and renters.

Let's talk about the program.

Let's talk about how we funded schools to the highest level that they've ever had.

Let's talk about fiscal stability that we brought to the state of New Jersey.

Let's talk about how we stuck up for women.

Let's talk about how we stuck up for citizens to make sure that they can take their kids to school and drop them off without worrying about having a gun there.

Let's talk about the real issues that people care about.

Christiane: -- David: do you think Republicans want to take away the right to Republican -- abortion services?

>> there are bills that are introduced in the Senate and in the assembly that would reduce the ability to have an abortion after six months.

The minority leader was on the other day before the editorial board and talked about how they would think about chopping funding for women's health.

Clearly, the issue of abortion is something that is there.

In front of voters.

On the school issue, the Republicans claim it's about parental notifications.

Number one, the policy on transgender children doesn't prevent anybody from talking to parents.

Obviously, parents are critically Porton in the educational process.

They ought to be involved with their students.

Students do best when they are involved.

We have three sons.

They are not kids by any measure except to my wife and me.

They are 34 and 31.

Tish was a PTO president.

We did all the things that parents do to stay active and involved in their student's life.

So it's an important role for parents to play.

The policy talks about giving guidance.

Let's are member, this is a score -- school board policy.

Not a legislative action.

It talks about providing guidance to counselors in situations where children come to them and express things that they are undergoing are doing.

And how they might handle those things.

Nothing in the policy prevents students -- schools from talking to parents.

David: we talked a little bit about you distancing yourselves from the governor.

Is he a liability in certain parts of the state for your party?

>> I think the governor -- like you said at the top of the show, I think the short answer to that is no.

I think the answer is that the governor has been a terrific partner in our attempt to make New Jersey more affordable.

I think you alluded to that when you talked about -- didn't you say that at the top?

the governor announced that he will veto that because he's a terrific partner in making sure that New Jersey is more affordable.

He should be commended for his actions and applaud the fact that he's joining with the assembly and the Senate to take the action that is necessary.

We have the record that we are so proud to run on.

One that is the product of a good working relationship between the governor and the legislature.

I think we will continue to talk about those good things that we've accomplished.

David: some people, Republicans and Democrats, are suggesting that your economic plan is anchor checks, which are arriving just days before voting starts.

Is that fair?

>> no.

Of course not.

The truth of the matter is that we've increased the anchor number for seniors.

Some of those checks are going out now.

The anchor process is something that's a real, meaningful, long-term property tax relief vehicle for people that will last long beyond this election cycle.

David: you can't argue the timing of those checks either for Democrats, right?

>> we thought it was important to get cash into the hands of people as soon as we possibly could.

Last year, it came out later than we had actually hoped.

Because of the time that it took to put the program in place.

This year is more reflective of where we hoped it would be last year.

David: the feds and state agency say that the state bungled the care of veterans at nursing homes.

Republicans have been all over this, even some Democrats.

Do you plan hearings on this after the new year?

>> so, we are working with the governor and the legislature, looking at ways to take actions to correct what's left.

Let's say this.

Our veterans deserve Rolls-Royce service.

We will do what we should to make sure that that's in place.

Some of the things that have already been undertaken to make steps forward -- the senator is working diligently to come up with solutions to address how we plan to go forward.

In the course of that, we will certainly have hearings around those things.

Getting to make sure that our veterans have the best possible care and the best possible facilities is something that we have to have.

David: lastly, the states proposed gun law was in court this week.

The same week of another terrible mass shooting in the country Pigot do the events of this week make your argument somehow?

>> look, I think we have far too many examples that make our argument, over the course of years.

I think the point of the case in Maine hammers home why it is so important that we have same gun legislation to ensure public safety of people.

David: good to see you.

Thanks for coming on with us.

Good luck.

>> thanks for having me.

Be well.

David: Colleen, Brand, Fred, good to see you all.

Before we start looking at the elections, let's go to the Menendez news.

He was with us on Chat Box this week in his first sit-down since the indictments.

Any takeaways?

>> yeah.

He is standing by it, saying that he will remain.

I don't see a quick end to this.

Some people were thinking he might resign.

He doesn't have much of a shot in the primary next year.

Or in the general election at all.

I think this will get resolved before then.

I could see him announcing he will run for reelection.

We are probably a few months away from that happening.

David: in that interview, he said that if he had resigned the last time he was indicted, that he would have resigned and then been exonerated in all the good work that he's done would never have happened.

>> I was thinking that whoever replaced him would have been doing that good work.

It's not like that seat would be vacant.

Obviously someone gets to fill the seat.

Yeah.

I know that you really tried to get a good answer about the money and the gold bars around the house.

I think he said that he's been withdrawing $400 from his credit union account weekly.

I still say, what?

David: taking it out of the bank or credit union and then putting it in your coat pockets is a little odd.

Your thoughts Fred?

>> no.

I think he said something along the lines that people would have supported him.

He doesn't want to disappoint them.

I mean, he has disappointed them already don't you think?

it's just a matter of time.

I don't think he's going to run again.

Whether or not he resigns.

I think he will just run out the clock so to speak.

David: I think his answer to that particularly about making this his last term, he left himself a little bit of wiggle room there.

I would agree with you on that one.

Moving on.

Voting has already begun.

Election day proper is November 7.

Democrats say they like their chances but the GOP has been pretty much steering the conversation there way for months now.

Are Democrats in for a big surprise?

>> I don't know if I see the huge red wave that would be needed.

There would need to be -- Republicans would have to run the table on close elections and the ones they already have and some other ones we are not looking at to take control of the legislature.

There's a strong chance that they will continue to chip away at 20 years of Democratic control.

You could have a very thin margin standing next year.

Republicans would go -- have momentum the following year and it would be harder for Democrats to pass controversial legislation.

There's lots of applications here.

David: is there a bellwether raised, when we can look at on election light and say,?

>> I think that might be the fourth district.

We know that the 11th is going to be very close.

There's the potential for bingo Paul losing his seat.

Although he survived two years ago.

The 16th is another one that is going to be very close.

In all these races, the Democrats have a lot more money than the Republicans.

But the Republican mailers are hammering home this message that the speaker rightly said, there's almost nothing there about parental rights.

It was nice to hear some Democrat finally explaining that.

I don't know why they haven't done it months ago.

They have consultants who say that that doesn't play well.

I think it's hard.

The more time you try to give someone an explanation for the voters, for them to grasp it.

It was nice to hear that.

I think the fourth district, a district that Democrats have held for a while in South Jersey, is one we are watching.

Democrats have of load -- voter plurality among registrants.

If that was to go, I think it's going to be another bad night for the Democrats.

David: it's interesting how when they are not quiet and they do try to speak up, they stumble all over one another trying not to say something they are not supposed to say.

Anyway, you crawl around in the nooks and crannies of these races all over the state.

What should we look for on election night?

>> Republicans are very emboldened and excited.

Some Republicans are talking about Senate president even though that's unlikely.

I think on the other Seida if the coin, it might be interesting.

I think that will be an interesting race.

His opponent has been elected in that district for 20 years.

At least he has name recognition.

That's an interesting thing.

It's the only race in the state where Republicans are playing defense.

It will be interesting to see what happens there.

David: Democrats are trying to make abortion rights more of an issue.

Saying that Republicans will take away that right beginning at the margins.

If they get a majority in the legislature, the governor launched a whole new website this week aimed at increasing access to abortion rights information.

Here's the governor from the press gaggle after the event.

>> I'm not speculating that they are talking about reproductive freedom and abortion rights.

They are talking about it.

Tony Bucha said he got the car keys in Trenton and they would defund Planned Parenthood.

They talked about restricting abortion rights.

David: obviously, the Democrats think the issue is a winner for them.

Are they talking about stuff that voters aren't talking about?

>> you now, I think that it is something that the Democrats are putting in front of voters.

We are more than a year out from the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe.

This is the first-aid election where this is coming up.

It certainly is valid to bring it up.

I think I went into this thinking, it's not that big of an election.

It happened a while ago.

We have this pretty strong here.

We still have abortion enshrined in our Constitution.

You know, I think it's valid to bring it up.

On the other hand, it would've been nice to prefer -- we still hear some Democrats talking about things like parental rights, like the fact that they won't take away our gas stoves, answering those attacks from Republicans.

David: are Republicans worried about abortion as an issue coming against them?

>> I don't know.

I haven't heard that.

Republicans have done the same thing.

This is an issue, this is settled.

I've even had some Republicans tell me this, it is settled out of court level.

There were Supreme Court cases from many years ago that said all this.

They are open to make some changes.

Democrats latched onto that.

I don't know if it's a big issue on voters lines but they are trying to turn it.

David: what are voters in those books and crannies talking about issues wise?

>> let's go back.

I think abortion is a bigger issue than they think.

I talked to Tony Bucha.

He said, we don't want to talk about abortion.

There's a reason why.

People may not look at the nuances.

Not everybody.

They see them as pro-choice and Republicans is pro-life.

We have seen all over the country this motivation for the Democratic base.

In a low turnout election, motivating the base will be significant.

Republicans have said that their bases motivated by things like parental rights and what they would say about kids in kindergarten learning about sex and things of that nature.

I think that could motivate their base.

I think by and large, abortion is a bigger motivator for Democrats.

David: all right.

Colleen, can you expire in the Farrer over the Phantom candidates in South Jersey?

>> so as it's been reported, there are a couple people on the ballot in the fourth district where the Republicans are really trying to flip the three seats.

There are a couple of candidates running as conservatives.

They are nowhere to be found.

The question is, are they real candidates, did they actually want to do this?

where they put up to do it by Democrats trying to take away votes from the Republicans?

some believe that yes, that's absolutely the case.

I think it's hard in instances like this.

I will go beyond what you asked me.

I think it's hard to try to stop this kind of action because there are an awful lot of people who run as third-party candidates, sacrificial lambs in district where they can't win.

Who just don't ever speak.

They don't do anything other than file papers.

It's a tough thing to try to stop if someone were to say, this isn't fair.

David: what do the Republicans want investigated?

>> I guess if they are real candidates.

They are trying to look for a link that Democrats are behind this.

There's a nonprofit that's been alleged to have been behind these mailers, they suggest Democrats are behind.

It was difficult to write about.

David: a final vote or -- voter turnout in percentages.

>> 30%.

David: did you say 30?

>> yes.

Probably a little high.

David: do you see his 30 and raise him 10?

>> I don't.

I might go to 28.

28% let's say.

>> 23.

David: we will hold you to that.

The winner gets something.

[LAUGHTER] It's time for our only in Jersey segments, headlines and notes that are quintessentially New Jersey.

>> it's election related.

I was struck when I looked at the latest add from the campaign which is a pro team at.

It features police officers, good thing to have on your side.

We almost get to hear one of the mild four letter words as one of the officers is saying, I've heard those negative ads against van and they are a bunch of --.

Then we cut it off.

I feel like it's a Jersey thing to try to get some curse words into your ad.

David: totally.

The cop who does it is pretty cool.

She looks like it, don't mess with her.

Brent?

>> I know everyone is talking about Taylor Swift's release of 1989 Taylor's version right now.

The Beatles are about to release a new song.

Maybe their final song ever, using old recordings.

It's really exciting.

It got my friends talking about how it's amazing that Paul McCartney married a Jersey girl who went to my wife's alma mater .

There's always a jersey connection, even with the Beatles.

Just amazing.

I have the anniversary.

I love you.

Happy anniversary.

David: good man.

Getting that important information in there for the most important people watching you right now.

Mine comes from South Jersey.

Phantom fake totally not interested in actually winning a race candidates have been spotted and called out.

You can debate the legality and ethics of such a thing.

The fact is, this is a long-standing Jersey tradition on both sides.

It dates back decades.

The clutching of the pearls seems somewhat performative.

Another example of the kind of stuff that, rather than energizing voters, simply gives them a reason to not vote for anyone.

The only problem is that elections do matter.

You have to wonder about parties and candidates, real and imagined, who continue to employ that tactic.

The one that makes voting by mail or in person simply unpleasant.

That's roundtable for this week.

Good to see you all.

Thanks also to speaker Coughlin for joining us.

You can join the -- follow the show on and get exclusive content including full episodes when you scan the QR code on your screen.

For all of the crew here at Gateway Center in downtown Newark, thank you for watching.

We will see you next week.

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

Let's be healthy together.

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 New Jersey playbook, a topical newsletter on Garden State politics, online at Politico.com.

♪