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>>> WELCOME TO "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

ARMED THIS WEEK WITH A PANEL OF RESPECTED SCRIBES, INCLUDING KATHERINE LANDERGAN, WHO IS THE NEW JERSEY BUREAU CHIEF OF POLITICO.

BRENT JOHNSON, WHO IS THE POLITICS REPORTER FOR NJ ADVANCED MEDIA.

AND DEMOTERRENCE McDONALD, EDITF THE NEW JERSEY MONITOR.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM SHORTLY, BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THE SENATOR FROM THE 39th DISTRICT IN BERGEN AND PASSAIC COUNTIES, NOW ENTERING HER FIRST FULL TERM IN THE SENATE.

GOOD TO WELCOME SENATOR HOLLY S SHAPASSI.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> IT TOOK ABOUT A WEEK FOR THE LEADERS IN THE TOP RACES TO FINALLY CONCEDE.

YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO VOTERS IN ORDER TO AVOID GIVING BIRTH TO SOME OF THE UNFOUNDED VOTER FRAUD THEORIES THAT WERE KIND OF POPPING UP A LITTLE BIT IN NEW JERSEY, NO?

>> YES.

BERGEN COUNTY WAS A HOT MESS FROM REPORTING THAT NIGHT AND REPORTING ACCURATELY WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY IT CREATED A WHOLE HOST OF QUESTIONS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CREATED.

AND WE HAD THE CLERK AND HIS DEPUTY CLERK -- THE CLERK IN BERGEN HAD RECUSED HIMSELF BECAUSE HE WAS UP FOR RE-ELECTION.

HIS DEPUTY CLERK WENT ON VACATION AND LEFT THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU HAVE INCOMPATIBLE SOFTWARE BETWEEN THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN BERGEN COUNTY.

SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING, YOU SAW A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE NUMBERS WHERE INITIALLY IT SHOWED THAT REPUBLICANS HAD SWEPT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IN BERGEN, AND WHAT NOBODY REALIZED IS THAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE SOLELY THE MACHINE VOTES AND DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE VOTE BY MAIL, ANY OF THE EARLY VOTING, AND OF COURSE DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE PROVISIONALS.

IT CREATED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO THE PROCESS.

>> SO ARE YOU NOT A FAN OF VOTE BY MAIL OR EARLY VOTING OR SOMETHING LIKE SAME-DAY REGISTRATION?

>> WITH RESPECT TO VOTE BY MAIL, I THINK FOR A CERTAIN POPULATION, IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT TO BECOME MORE PROFICIENT IN GETTING THOSE BALLOTS BACK.

DEMOCRATS HAVE PRETTY MUCH MASTERED THAT ART AS WE SAW IN THE ELECTION RESULTS AND HOW THEY SHIFTED AS A RESULT OF THE VOTE BY MAIL.

EARLY VOTING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I ACTUALLY VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT.

I WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEW REPUBLICANS.

BUT I NEVER ANTICIPATED THAT IT WOULD BE SO MANY DAYS OUT.

I THINK THAT THE RETURNS THAT WE GOT ON EARLY VOTING REALLY DON'T JUSTIFY THE COST.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, I SAW ONE FIGURE.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE $40,000 IT COST THE TAXPAYERS OF NEW JERSEY.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO RE-EVALUATE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE JUST KIND OF TRUNCATE THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT EARLY VOTING IS AVAILABLE, AND SOMETHING LIKE SAME-DAY REGISTRATION, I COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPORT AT SOME POINT IF AND WHEN WE FIRST CLEAN UP OUR VOTING ROLLS IN NEW JERSEY AND DO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MAKES PEOPLE HAVE FAITH IN THE PROCESS.

>> SO WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT THIS RED WAVE.

WHAT WAS THIS A REACTION TO?

WAS IT MURPHY?

WAS IT BIDEN?

WAS IT COVID?

>> I THINK IT WAS ALL THREE.

WE SAW A VERY LARGE SHIFT OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS IN NEW JERSEY BASED UPON GOVERNOR MURPHY'S OWN, YOU KNOW, ENUMERATED AGENDA OF WE WILL BECOME THE CALIFORNIA OF THE EAST COAST.

AND I THINK WHAT YOU SAW ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN POLITICALLY ENGAGED MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD, SAYING, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE CALIFORNIA OF THE EAST COAST.

YOU GUYS HAVE GONE TOO FAR LEFT, AND WE NEED TO COME BACK INTO THE CENTER.

AND THE PENDULUM ALWAYS SWINGS, AND I THINK IT IS A NATURAL FUNCTION OF THAT PENDULUM SWINGING BACK.

DEMOCRATS WERE NOT MOTIVATED.

WHAT'S TO BE MOTIVATED ABOUT JOE BIDEN?

THE PANDEMIC HURT A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

A LOT OF PARENTS WHO WERE JUGGLING TRYING TO BECOME TEACHERS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOBS.

AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY A REFLECTION OF THAT AS WE SAW IN OUR BOARD OF ED RACES AND REALLY IN BERGEN, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT, WE SWEPT ALMOST EVERY TOWN.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF EDWARD DU ARE, R TAKING OUT SENATE PRESIDENT SWEENEY.

HAVE YOU MET HIM?

>> I HAVE MET HIM.

WE MET IN THE CAUCUS ROOM FOR OUR OWN LEADERSHIP VOTE, AND IT'S A PHENOMENAL STORY.

I PERSONALLY HAD A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SENATE PRESIDENT SWEENEY, AND HE'S PUT A LOT OF YEARS DOWN THERE.

I THINK IT WAS INDEED THE BIGGEST UPSET IN THE STATE, AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HOLLYWOOD SCRIPT.

YOU HAVE A GUY WHO LITERALLY LOST IN HIS OWN TOWN FOR COUNCIL, HAD LOST FOR ASSEMBLY, HAD NO RESOURCES, AND WENT OUT THERE AND JUST THROUGH GRIT AND GOING DOOR TO DOOR, ENDED UP SWEEPING THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

>> SO PANEL, GET READY.

BEFORE THE SHOW IS OVER, WE'RE GOING TO CAST THE EDWARD DURR STORY.

I WANT TO GET A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN FROM THE PANEL HERE.

TERRENCE, YOU HAD A QUESTION?

>> YES.

SENATOR, RACHEL AFTER SUPREME COURT NOMINATION.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT?

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS AND QUITE CANDIDLY I'M JUST STARTING TO GO THROUGH THE BOOK THAT WAS PREPARED OF ALL THE POLICY POSITIONS, BACKGROUND.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO WEED THROUGH IT.

YOU KNOW, DO I HAVE SOME APPREHENSIONS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT SHE'S AUTHORED?

YES.

SO BUT RIGHT NOW I'M JUST IN THE DILIGENCE PHASE.

>> NICELY AVOIDED.

BRENT, YOU GOT A QUESTION THERE?

>> DEMOCRATS STILL CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE, SO HOW DO REPUBLICANS AND THEIR LARGER NUMBERS APPROACH THIS NEW SESSION?

WHAT WILL WE SEE FROM YOU GUYS?

>> WELL, ONE, IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN, WHAT, 30 YEARS THAT WE HAVE REGAINED SEVEN SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WE SAW RACES EVEN IN DISTRICT 38 WHERE THERE WERE RELATIVELY FEW RESOURCES PUT ON, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, AND WE ALMOST TOOK THAT.

WE SAW PLACES LIKE FRED MADDEN.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC COUNTERPARTS WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSERVATIVE, A LITTLE BIT MORE MODERATE, ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY VOTE PROBABLY MORE SO WITH US AS WELL AS SPONSOR STUFF WITH OUR SIDE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, TO POTENTIALLY GET THEMSELVES TAKEN OUT IN TWO YEARS.

AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THIS BOTH LAME DUCK AND THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

WE ARE ALL UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN TWO YEARS IN THE MIDDLE OF A REDISTRICTING, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF TIGHT RACES THAT NOBODY SAW COMING.

>> MEANWHILE, SENATOR, PROGRESSIVES SAY THAT WITHOUT THEM, THERE IS NO SECOND TERM FOR MURPHY, AND THE NUMBERS SEEM TO BEAR THAT OUT IN A LOT OF INSTANCES.

SHOULDN'T THEY RIGHTFULLY EXPECT THAT THEIR ISSUES SHOULD BE GIVEN SOME PRIORITY?

>> I MEAN, THEY CAN EXPECT WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THEIR ISSUES HAVE BEEN THE ONLY PRIORITY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

I THINK WHAT WE SAW AND WHAT WE HEARD IS THE MIDDLE CLASS OF NEW JERSEY, THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO STAY IN THE STATE LOUDLY HAD THEIR VOICES HEARD AS EVIDENCED BY, YOU KNOW, EVERY POLL GOING INTO THIS ELECTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WILDLY INACCURATE.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU SAW IS A REAL PUSHBACK AGAINST THIS PROGRESSIVE AGENDA.

YES, IN CERTAIN AREAS, YOU WILL ALWAYS ELECT A DEMOCRAT.

BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AND SEE HOW RED THE STATE IS NOW, IT'S MORE OF A CONCERN, I THINK, FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AS THEY ENTER INTO TWO YEARS FROM NOW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SENATOR, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

>> THANK YOU, DAVID.

>>> ALL RIGHT, PANEL.

KATHERINE, BRENT, TERRENCE, JACK CIATTARELLI CONCEDING.

STEVE SWEENEY CONCEDING.

WE FINALLY GOT THE RACES ALL SETTLED.

TIME FOR SOME GOOD OLD PUNDITRY HERE.

LET'S GET THE NEWEST PANEL MEMBER IN TO START US OFF.

TERRENCE McDONALD, YOU WROTE THIS WEEK THAT DEMOCRATS MAY NEED AN INTERVENTION TO END THEIR DONALD TRUMP ADDICTION.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK?

>> WELL, I KNOW THAT I LIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND I GOT A BUNCH OF FLIERS TO VOTE FOR PHIL MURPHY, AND LITERALLY ALL OF THEM HAD DONALD TRUMP'S FACE ON THEM.

I GOT ONE FROM JACK CIATTARELLI, AND IT WAS A FLIER ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO HELP THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT SAYING "VOTE FOR "X" BECAUSE HE'S THE NEXT TRUMP" IS JUST NOT ENOUGH TO MOTIVATE ENOUGH DEMOCRATS TO GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE FOR YOU, AND IT'S STARTING TO MAKE SOME REPUBLICANS AND POTENTIALLY REPUBLICAN-LEANING INDEPENDENTS MORE MOTIVATED TO GO TO THE POLLS BECAUSE THEY STILL LIKE DONALD TRUMP AND/OR THEY'RE SORT OF SICK OF HEARING DEMOCRATS SAY, THIS PERSON IS DONALD TRUMP.

>> KATHERINE, DEMOCRATS NEED A NEW KIND OF CANDIDATE TO BECOME THE NEW WHIPPING BOY?

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT I MEAN I THINK THIS WAS REALLY JUST A TOTAL SHOCK FOR DEMOCRATS, AND I THINK EVERYONE REALLY IN TRENTON, AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A WHOLESALE RE-EVALUATION OF KIND OF WHAT PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT LAWMAKERS ARE PURSUING, YOU KNOW, IN LAME DUCK AND BEYOND.

YEAH.

>> SO IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO WHO YOU TALK TO AND HOW THEY READ THE RESULTS, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A, GENERALLY TOWARDS THE LEGISLATURE, A REPUDIATION -- MAYBE "REPUDIATION" IS A STRONG WORD, BUT NOT GREAT ENDORSEMENT OF THEIR -- I'M SORRY.

IT WAS A REPUDIATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA, WHICH WAS VERY LEFT, BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGHT-LEANING, RIGHT, BRENT?

>> YEAH, AND I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE NOTED THE IRONY OF THAT.

STEVE SWEENEY, THE SENATE PRESIDENT, WAS TAKEN OUT IN A YEAR THAT MURPHY WON WITH HIS PROGRESSIVE POLICIES AND SWEENEY WAS THE MORE MODERATE CANDIDATE.

SO THIS IS JUST A HEAD-SPINNING YEAR.

YOU HEAR PEOPLE TRYING TO SPIN THE RESULTS IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS, AND IT'S A LOT TO MAKE SENSE OF, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MANY OF THE RESULTS WERE DELAYED.

BUT, YEAH, I MEAN THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY FASCINATING TIME TO COVER POLITICS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO COME IN WITH A NEW SENATE PRESIDENT, A SENATE AND ASSEMBLY THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIMID, AND A GOVERNOR WHO IMMEDIATELY IS A LAME DUCK GOVERNOR BUT WHO WILL LIKELY TRY AND PUSH MORE OF HIS PROGRESSIVE IDEALS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WELCOME TO NEW JERSEY.

>> SO WHEN HE CONCEDED THISSEK W WEEK, SWEENEY INSISTED HE'S NOT GOING AWAY.

LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO THAT VERY SHORT PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER HIS SPEECH.

>> WHAT I SAID IS I'M NOT GOING AWAY.

I DON'T SAY WHAT I'M DOING, BUT I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING.

I'VE BEEN A BELIEVER IN MAKING NEW JERSEY AFFORDABLE FOR A LONG TIME.

I'VE BEEN THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH BATTLES OVER PENSION AND HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR A LONG TIME.

MY VOICE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT BECAUSE IT'S WITH THE BLUE COLLAR WORKERS THAT I SEE EVERY DAY.

THEY'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.

WE GOT TO TAKE THINGS SERIOUS, AND WE GOT TO FIX NEW JERSEY.

THE GREATEST NEWS OF ALL, THIS IS A GREAT STATE, AND IT'S FIXABLE.

SO LET'S MAKE IT AN AFFORDABLE ONE.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> KATHERINE, YOUR COLLEAGUE, MATT FRIEDMAN, SPECULATED THAT SWEENEY COULD RUN FOR THE SENATE SEAT AGAIN, BUT I THOUGHT PARTS OF THAT SPEECH SOUNDED LIKE HE MIGHT BE TEEING UP A RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BE EITHER/OR, I THINK THIS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS VERY UNLIKE A REGULAR SWEENEY PRESS CONFERENCE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN TO MANY OF THEM.

USUALLY HE TALKS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

HE ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM THE CROWD.

HE CLEARLY WAS UPSET AND DEVASTATED BY THIS LOSS, AND I THINK A BIT SHOCKED BY IT.

HE PROBABLY NEEDS TO TAKE A MINUTE TO PROCESS THAT AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT HIS NEXT MOVES ARE.

>> BRENT, COULD WE SEE A REPEAT OF FOUR OR SO YEARS AGO WHEN THE TWO TOP CONTENDERS WERE THE MAYOR OF JERSEY CITY, STEVE FULLUP, AND THE SENATE PRESIDENT, STEVE SWEENEY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT.

IT SEEMS LIKE SO LONG AGO.

>> RIGHT?

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THEY COULD BE HEADED TOWARDS THAT AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

ANOTHER NAME I'LL THROW IN THERE IS CONGRESSWOMAN MIKIE SHERRILL, WHO COULD BE -- OR MURPHY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE A FEW YEARS AGO, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS HEADING IN.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A FULLUP/SWEENEY RACE FOUR YEARS.

YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE LAST OF STEVE SWEENEY.

HE LIKELY WILL TRY TO MAKE A RUN AT GOVERNOR, IF NOT HIS SENATE SEAT FIRST.

RICHARD NIXON LOST THE PRESIDENCY AND THE GOVERNORSHIP OF CALIFORNIA AND CAME BACK TO BE PRESIDENT FOR TWO TERMS -- OR 1 1/2 TERMS.

SO ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

>> TERRENCE, DO YOU RELISH THE POSSIBILITY OF COVERING STEVE FULLUP IN A PRIMARY RACE AGAINST STEVE SWEENEY?

>> SURE.

WHY NOT?

I MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHY LOOKING AT LAST YEAR WHY ANY DEMOCRAT WANTS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN FOUR YEARS BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE THIS RENEWED GOP BASE WHO THINKS, WOW, WE ALMOST DID IT LAST NAME.

FOUR YEARS IS A LONG TIME, AND IF SAY TRUMP COMES AND RUNS FOR PRESIDENT AND WINS AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER LIKE A REVERSE BACKLASH AND JUST HAVE DEMOCRATS -- >> REVERSE BACKLASH.

WHAT ABOUT SCHCIATTARELLI, FRONT-RUNNER FOR GOVERNOR IN WHAT WOULD BE A WIDE OPEN FIELD IN 2025, TERRENCE?

>> SURE.

I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE -- IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE REPUBLICANS DON'T REALLY BLAME HIM FOR LOSING, THAT THEY MORE BLAME POLLSTERS AND THE MEDIA FOR MAKING IT SEEM LIKE SUCH A LONG SHOT THAT HE WASN'T ABLE TO FUND-RAISE AS WELL AS HE MIGHT HAVE IF ALL THE POLLS HAD SAID THAT IT WAS A CLOSER RACE.

SO, YEAH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY GOP ANGER ABOUT HIM, AND THEY MIGHT THINK HE GOT A RAW DEAL THIS YEAR AND BACK HIM IN FOUR YEARS.

>> BRENT, YOU COULD SAY, AS MANY HAVE SAID, THAT HE REINVIGORATED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN NEW JERSEY.

I MEAN, WHILE THERE WERE SOME VISIBLE FISSURES EARLY IN THE RACE, BY THE TIME IT CAME TO ELECTION DAY, HE WAS PRETTY MUCH THE STANDARD BEARER, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON ELECTION NIGHT, HOW ENERGIZED HE WAS.

IT DID FEEL THAT MAYBE SOME PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY GOING INTO THIS RACE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US MONTHS AGO THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A MURPHY FBLOWOUT, AND IT CERTAINLY WAS.

THERE ARE SHADES REPUBLICANS ARE DEFINITELY MAKING A COMEBACK.

IF CIATTARELLI WANTS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN FOUR YEARS, I CAN SEE THAT HAPPENING OR BOB MENENDEZ'S SEAT IS GOING TO BE UP SOON.

I DON'T THINK IT'S THE LAST WE'VE HEARD OF JACK CIATTARELLI EITHER.

>> INTERESTING.

WE SPOKE WITH EDWARD DURR ON "CHAT BOX" THIS WEEK.

ANY OF YOU GET A GOOD READ ON HIM?

SWEENEY HE AIN'T, I GUESS, BUT I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS A JOHN BRAMNICK REPUBLICAN OR A MIKE TEST TIN REPUBLICAN.

HE SAID HE WAS AN EDWARD DURR REPUBLICAN.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, BRENT?

>> I THINK THAT MEANS THIS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS OR ANYONE WAS EXPECTING THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S KIND OF LIKE HIS OWN BRAND NOW.

WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THIS LASTS.

IF HE IMMEDIATELY BECOMES A BACK BENCHER IN THE THIRD DISTRICT IN THE MINORITY REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.

SO, YOU KNOW, HE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE THE CACHET OF SWEENEY, BUT YOU COULD CERTAINLY SEE HIM THROWING A WRENCH IN THE WHOLE SITUATION.

>> KATHERINE, YOU WERE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK.

I THINK YOU CALLED IT INTERESTING.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY AN EXAMPLE OF SEEING JUST KIND OF AN AVERAGE GUY GET A PRESS CONFERENCE.

I THINK HE WAS PRETTY CANDID DURING IT.

AT ONE POINT, ONE LINE THAT GOT ATTENTION WAS HE SAID AT THE END, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO THROW UP BECAUSE HE WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST NERVOUS TO BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

I MEAN THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION ON HIM MUST BE OVERWHELMING RIGHT NOW.

NOBODY EXPECTED THIS, AND JUST THE -- IT'S NOT ONLY BEEN NEW JERSEY MEDIA, BUT THIS HAS BEEN NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL NEWS, YEAH.

>> TERRENCE, IT DOES SEEM LIKE A QUINTESSENTIAL JERSEY STORY, AND I WON'T ASK YOU TO CAST THE LEAD UNLESS YOU HAVE MAYBE AL PACINO AT THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.

BUT WHAT'S YOUR READ ON EDWARD DURR?

>> WELL, I LIKE -- I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT HE'S REALLY LEANING INTO THIS BRANDING OF HIM AS THE EVERYDAY GUY.

I THINK HE JUST LAUNCHED HIS NEW WEBSITE ED THE TRUCKER, IS THAT WHAT IT IS?

I'M NOT SAYING HE'S NOT AN EVERYDAY GUY.

I THINK HE IS.

BUT I THINK IT'S SORT OF INTERESTING THAT HE'S HANDLERS HAVE IMMEDIATELY SEIZED ON THIS AND REALIZED THIS IS VALUABLE, AND THIS WILL BE VALUABLE WHEN HE RUNS AGAIN.

>> ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANY CHANGES TO THE MURPHY AGENDA IN THE SECOND TERM?

I MEAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROGRESSIVES SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SECOND TERM WITHOUT HIM, AND THEY GOT AGENDA ITEMS THAT THEY SAY HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED, INCLUDING ABORTION RIGHTS, POLICING, OTHER STUFF.

KATHERINE, LANE SWITCH COMING FOR THE DEMOCRATS?

>> I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK SO BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF WHAT MURPHY -- MURPHY'S PROGRESSIVE AGENDA HE ACCOMPLISHED IN HIS FIRST TERM.

I WAS TRYING TO WRITE A STORY, WHAT DOES HIS AGENDA LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR A TERM TWO, AND I REALLY STRUGGLED TO WRITE THAT STORY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A TON OUT THERE.

THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN PIECE TOGETHER LIKE THE REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM ACT, VOTING RIGHTS, GUN CONTROL, ET CETERA.

BUT I THINK IT'S MORE LOW HANGING FRUIT THAN SOMETHING LIKE, SAY, A $15 WAGE.

I THINK SOME OF IT WILL BE MAYBE PARED BACK A BIT, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE WAS THAT MUCH TO BEGIN WITH.

>> BRENT, MAYBE THE BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT WILL BE A STATE BANK?

>> I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT.

I WAS LIKE, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE STATE BANK?

I FEEL LIKE THAT COULD BE A COMIC BOOK OR SOMETHING.

ALSO I THINK -- SHOULD PLAY ED ZURR IN THE MOVIE.

>> SAY THAT AGAIN.

>> I THINK PAUL GIAMATTI SHOULD PLAY ED DURR IN THE MOVIE.

>> THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

WHAT ROLE DO WE SEE THE SENATE PRESIDENT DESIGNEE, NICK SKIT ARI, PLAYING IN ALL OF THIS GOING FORWARD?

HOW IS HE NOT LIKE STEVE SWEENEY, AND HOW IS HE A LOT LIKE STEVE SWEENEY?

TERRENCE, YOU GET A READ ON HIM?

>> NO.

I THINK SORT OF WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR IS WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THE MURPHY PEOPLE AND THE PROGRESSIVES ARE REALLY OUT THERE WITH THIS NARRATIVE THAT MURPHY WON RE-ELECTION.

SWEENEY'S GONE.

HE WAS AN IMPEDIMENT.

WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I THINK THAT DEMOCRATS, PROGRESSIVE AND CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING AT SWEENEY LOSING WHEN HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD LOSE AND ARE REALLY GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN RACE IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE EITHER.

RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON, SAVING THEMSELVES RATHER THAN HELPING PHIL MURPHY.

>> KATHERINE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SENATE PRESIDENT SKA TARRY?

>> YEAH, TALKING TO SOME SOURCES THIS WEEK AND KIND OF EVERYONE WAS SAYING TO ME, LIKE, THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAD A GOOD READ ON THE SITUATION.

SO KIND OF AN UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.

I THINK IT'S REALLY JUST A WAIT-AND-SEE.

ONE THING I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS CRAIG COUGHLIN KIND OF PUT OUT AN AGENDA FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN HIM PUT OUT SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE A ROBUST AGENDA BEFORE.

SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO WATCH IS WILL HE SEE AN OPENING HERE AND GO FOR IT OR NOT?

>> BRENT, ARE DEMOCRATS REALLY FRACTURED, MODERATES VERSUS PROGRESSIVES, SUBURBAN VERSUS URBAN, OR ARE WE JUST MAKING TOO MUCH OF THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A HUGE CHASM BETWEEN THE TWO, AT LEAST NOT LIKE A JOE MANCHIN-LIKE CHASM IN WASHINGTON.

BUT IT DOES MIRROR KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON WA.

I THINK BOTH THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THEIR IDENTITY IN A NEW WORLD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

YEAH, I THINK THERE'S MORE PROGRESSIVISM IN MODERATE DEMOCRATS THAN THERE IS CONSERVATISM IN MODERATE DEMOCRATS.

BUT, YEAH, I MEAN IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WHAT GETS ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT DOESN'T GET ACCOMPLISHED, AND WHO IS WATCHING THEIR OWN BACK.

>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO REACT TO FORMER GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE TALKING WITH AXIOS AND MOCKING DONALD TRUMP FOR LOSING TO JOE BIDEN?

IS THAT A CLEAR SIGN THAT HE'S GOING TO GO FOR IT IN 2024, KATHERINE?

>> I THINK SO.

TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, I HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING SUPER CLOSE ATTENTION.

HE'S GOING ON CNN WITH DANA BASH.

BUT I MEAN HE'S CLEARLY SIGNALING THAT HE IS -- YOU KNOW, THAT HE'S GOING TO RUN.

>> BRENT, I'M TOLD HE'S GOT ANOTHER BOOK COMING OUT.

COULD HE JUST BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO IS, LIKE, I MIGHT RUN FOR GOVERNOR, READ IT IN MY BOOK?

>> HIM RUN FOR GOVERNOR AGAIN?

THAT WOULD BE THE MOST -- >> I'M SORRY.

>> I COULD SEE HIM RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AGAIN BECAUSE I GUESS THE CONSTITUTION DOESN'T STOP HIM.

BUT, NO, I DEFINITELY THINK HE'S GOING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

I THINK HE'S BEEN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT SINCE 2012 OR 2009 WHEN HE WAS ELECTED.

I DON'T THINK YOU'LL EVER SEE CHRIS CHRISTIE BECOME A SHRINKING VIOLET IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT.

WHETHER HE HAS A CHANCE AT 2024 IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IF DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN AS WELL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, NO ONE HAS NEVER SEEN THE LAST OF CHRIS CHRISTIE.

>> TERRENCE, LAST WORD ON CHRIS CHRISTIE FOR YOU.

>> I DON'T KNOW -- I DON'T KNOW WHY -- I DON'T RELISH THIS.

I DON'T RELISH THE IDEA OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE LISTENING TO CHRIS CHRISTIE AND DONALD TRUMP INSULT EACH OTHER.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S MY THOUGHT.

>> THAT'S YOUR THOUGHT, ALL RIGHT.

BRENT JOHNSON, TERRENCE McDONALD, KATHERINE LANDERGAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

THAT IS GOING TO DO IT FOR "ROUNDTABLE" THIS WEEK.

THANKS TO THE SENATOR FOR JOINING US.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @DAVID CRUZ NJ.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE "CHAT BOX."

WE ARE OFF FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A SAFE, PEACEFUL HOLIDAY.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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