NJ-07: Democrats target independents, conservatives with Trump-focused ad campaign

“[Trump] lied, and he’s not stopping,” the ad’s narrator intones after showing news clips about the suspensions of Stephen Colbert’s and Jimmy Kimmel’s late night shows. “Trump wants to control what you see so he can control what you think.”

The size of the DNC’s investment is not huge: the committee called it a “five-figure” campaign, which means the total buy could be as low as $10,000. The ad also doesn’t ever mention the man Democrats are hoping to beat next year, Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).

Nonetheless, the ad provides a window into how Democrats are thinking about the race for the 7th district. In 2024, Democratic nominee Sue Altman worked to connect Kean to Trump whenever possible, but then Trump ended up carrying Kean’s district by a narrow margin; by specifically aiming their new ad at conservatives and independents, Democrats are now evidently trying to drive a wedge between Trump and his supporters ahead of 2026.

“Donald Trump’s administration has amassed a chilling record of restricting speech, extorting private companies, and dropping the full weight of the government censorship hammer on Americans simply exercising their First Amendment rights,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. “This is no exaggeration, and it’s splintering the coalition that got Trump elected.”


https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/democrats-target-independents-conservatives-in-nj-7-with-trump-focused-ad-campaign/