Ciattarelli takes notes from Trump playbook at New Jersey beach rally

WILDWOOD, N.J. – There is a strong argument for this Donald Trump And Charlie Kirk are the country’s two most significant conservative figures of the last decade and the GOP gubernatorial candidate of New Jersey Jack Ciattarelli obviously took notes.

In an age of shielding and isolation, Trump and Kirk have always understood the power of actual human presence and interaction — and that was on clear display Friday night in this South Jersey beach town.

DAVID MARCUS: FOR JACK CIATTARELLI SOUTH JERSEY AND VOTERS’ ENTHUSIA ARE THE KEY TO VICTORY

By my count, about 800 people showed up on the promenade. Among them was 24-year-old Alex, in one Gold itself six and sunglasses.

“It just touches on the humanity of it all,” he told me, adding, “When we fight on the internet, we forget what commonalities there can be.”

Diane and Renee were at the event with their husbands, and Diane told me about live rallies: “I feel like it brings us more together and makes us feel like, ‘Let’s go!'”

Dominic, a teacher in his 50s, told me that he is often frustrated by the woke education agenda. He credited Kirk with using live events to “spark something in the youth of America.”

Not only voters but also candidates recognized the value of in-person rallying. Billy Prempeh, who lost the congressional race in New Jersey’s 9th District last time and is running again, told me, “President Trump held the first Wildwood rally here and it was a huge success.”

The main topics were energy prices, as well as taxes and crime. But there was a tension that transcended any single political concern and turned the event into an urgent call to “take back New Jersey.”

At the Seaport Pier, just before the Promenade Stage entrance, voters chatted at tables and enjoyed a buffet courtesy of CapeGOP, which organized the event and provided its gracious host, Mike Donahue.

The Turning Point USA table – Kirk’s most tangible legacy – was a hive of activity. The young organizers made plans that would include schools in the Garden State.

It was fun, it was celebratory, it was hopeful.

These days, when more than 100 Democrats gather in one place, things often catch fire – often American flags. But for Republicans, these events are not just peaceful; They are really happy.

This image of the happy conservative warrior was embodied by everyone I spoke to, and this image of the Republican Party resonates very well across the country.

In fact, another part of the secret sauce that made Trump and Kirk’s rallies so successful is that they often took place in parts of the country where relatively few people go. Trump preferred to drive to a small town airport for a rally rather than a big city. Kirk’s events spanned what was known as Flyover Land.

You can’t help but feel like you’re in a tent revival at conservative political rallies these days. God is on the lips of many speakers and participants – and unashamedly so – not as something to be tolerated but as something to be celebrated.

In the post-COVID world, Republicans across the country would be wise to get heavily involved in these live events — with music, food and maybe even a few beers.

It’s not just the 800 people who actually came to Wildwood on Friday that are important here – it’s everyone they tell about it. It’s the kind of enthusiasm that turns one voter into many voters.

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Although Ciattarelli wowed the crowd admirably, it was Republican voter guru Scott Presler, with his dark, flowing mane, who drew most of the crowd’s attention and fielded the most selfie requests. These are incredibly valuable voters.

Charlie Kirk understands, and President Trump understands, that live events, rallies and just being in each other’s good company mean a tremendous amount to people. As Democrats succumb to more and more angry invective, Republican fun is a powerful counterpoint.

Trump has floated the idea of ​​a midterm national convention next year. Not only should Republicans do this, it should also be a blast – a family-friendly amusement park of the American dream, something the entire country can look at in awe.

A month after Kirk was murdered at his event in Utah, the speakers and crowd on the boardwalk this weekend stood steadfast and unafraid of those who wished them harm. They stood for their party, their country and Charlie Kirk – and also for Jack Ciattarelli, who wants to convince voters that a lucky conservative warrior can lead the Garden State again.

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