Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that New Jersey could be competitive in upcoming elections. He highlighted an interview with Marcela Crossman from his documentary. The statement was made on X.
“Is New Jersey a swing state now,” said Cortes. “Mom, Marine, & patriot Marcela Crossman say YES, in this inspiring interview. This extended footage of her interview from my Cortes Investigates documentary, about Tony Soprano’s hometown flipping red:”
According to analysts, New Jersey’s political landscape has become increasingly competitive, suggesting the state could mirror Virginia as a bellwether ahead of national elections. Suburban shifts, high living costs, and economic discontent have tightened margins in statewide races once seen as safely Democratic, prompting both parties to invest more heavily. This analysis is supported by the Cook Political Report.
Recent election data show that Joe Biden carried New Jersey by roughly 16 points in 2020. Meanwhile, Democrat Phil Murphy narrowly defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli with 51.2% to 48.0% in the 2021 governor’s race with a 40.5% turnout. Several counties shifted right, narrowing the statewide gap and signaling growing GOP competitiveness, according to the New Jersey Division of Elections.
An October 2025 Emerson College poll found Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli tied at 43% each in the upcoming governor’s race. The economy and inflation ranked as top voter concerns, with independent and Hispanic voters showing the greatest volatility. This underscores New Jersey’s emerging swing potential as reported by Emerson College Polling.
Cortes is also a senior political advisor to CatholicVote and a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance. He is known for his commentary on Fox News and CNN and regularly releases documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
Founded in 2022 by Cortes, the League of American Workers promotes “pro-worker patriotic populism” through policy advocacy and media campaigns addressing trade, immigration, and wages. The organization seeks to amplify working-class voices in economic and electoral debates, as said on its official website.
