Ciattarelli takes notes from Trump playbook at New Jersey beach rally

Wildwood, New Jersey – There are strong arguments that Donald Trump And Charlie Kirk are two of the most significant conservative figures in the country over the past decade and the New Jersey Republican Party's gubernatorial candidate. Jack Ciattarelli He was clearly taking notes.

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

DAVID MARCUS: FOR JACK CITTARRELLI, SOUTH JERSEY AND VOTER ENTHUSIASM ARE THE KEYS TO VICTORY

By my count, about 800 people gathered on the boardwalk. Among them was 24-year-old Alex, in The gold itself is six and sunglasses.

“It just kind of touches on the humanity of it all,” he told me, adding, “When we fight online, we forget what common ground might exist.”

Diana and Rene attended the event with their husbands, and Diana told me about the live rallies: “I feel like it brings us even closer together and makes us think, 'Let's go!'”

Dominic, a schoolteacher in his 50s, told me that he is often frustrated by the woke education agenda. He noted that Kirk used live performances to “ignite something in the youth of America.”

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

In terms of issues, the main issues were energy prices, as well as taxes and crime. But it was a tension that transcended any specific political concern and turned the event into an urgent call to “take New Jersey back.”

Inside the Seaport Pier, just before the boardwalk, voters chatted at tables while enjoying a buffet, courtesy of CapeGOP, which organized the event and provided its amiable emcee, Mike Donahue.

The Turning Point USA table—Kirk's most tangible legacy—was humming. Its young organizers were developing plans to hold actions in schools in the Garden State.

It was fun, festive and hopeful.

These days, when you get more than 100 Democrats in one place, everything starts to light up—often American flags. But for the Republican Party, these events are not just peaceful; they are sincerely happy.

This image of the happy conservative warrior was embodied by everyone I spoke with, and it is an image of the Republican Party that is extremely popular across the country.

In fact, another secret reason that made the Trump and Kirk rallies so successful is that they often took place in parts of the country where relatively few people venture. Trump chose to attend the rally at a small-town airport rather than in a big city. Kirk's events covered the so-called flyover country.

You can't help but feel like you're camping out at conservative political rallies these days. God is on the lips of many speakers and those present – unabashedly – not as something to be tolerated, but as something to be glorified.

In a post-COVID world, Republicans across the country would be wise to actively participate in these live events—with music, food, and maybe even a beer or two.

It's not just the 800 people who actually came to Wildwood on Friday that matter here – it's whoever they tell about it. It is this kind of enthusiasm that turns one voter into many voters.

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While Ciattarelli delightfully excited the crowd, it was GOP guru Scott Presler, with his dark, flowing mane, who drew the most attention from the crowd and fielded the most requests for selfies. These are incredibly valuable voters.

Charlie Kirk understood, and President Trump understands, that live events, rallies and just being in each other's good company means the world to people. As Democrats increasingly succumb to angry invective, the GOP's hilarity provides a powerful counterpoint.

Trump has floated the idea of ​​holding a midterm national convention next year. Not only should Republicans do this, but it should be a real breakthrough – creating an American dream family amusement park that the entire country can look at in awe.

A month after Kirk was killed at his event in Utah, speakers and crowds on the boardwalk this weekend stood firm and unafraid of those who wished them harm. They stood up for their party, their country and Charlie Kirk, as well as Jack Ciattarelli, who hopes to convince voters that a happy conservative warrior can lead the Garden State again.

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