Back in 2017, Mike Crispi was a rather unnoticed candidate for Morris County freeholder. With no real experience or backing, he finished last among four candidates in the Republican primary.

Five years later – in 2022 – Crispi challenged Chris Smith, the veteran GOP congressman, in CD-4. He got 21,000 votes; Smith got 33,000. Not a bad showing for Crispi as a first time congressional candidate against an entrenched incumbent.

Now, Crispi’s star within the MAGA-wing of the Republican Party seems to be rising to unanticipated heights.

A talk show host in real life, Crispi, 31, was the lead-off speaker at last Saturday’s Donald Trump rally in Wildwood.

He spoke loud and forcefully about the need to win the election by so much, it can’t be stolen. He also expressed confidence Trump can win New Jersey.

Crispi’s performance probably pleased the crowd, but it also pleased the man who counted the most.

That would be Trump.

When the former president arrived, he complimented Crispi on his speech, noting that he watched it on the plane transporting him to the rally.

“And I know you have big plans for the future and we’re with you,” Trump said.

Crispi’s immediate plan is what he calls Project 14, which is the campaign to win the state’s 14 Electoral Votes for Trump.

With rhetoric appropriate for the occasion, Crispi said in a post-rally statement:

“President Trump is fighting for us every day. He’s fighting whack-jobs in court.  He’s traveling the country on the weekends and campaigning when they’re not holding him in a Soviet-style courtroom.  And despite all of it, he’s leading in every battleground state and gaining fast in the blue states.”

As for New Jersey, a recent poll  put Trump only 5 points behind Joe Biden in the state.

Still, one has to be skeptical about New Jersey turning “red” this fall.

Democrats, who have nearly a 1 million voter registration advantage, have won every presidential election in the state since 1988.

Hoping to upend that trend, Crispi says that the “America First Republicans” are planning a series of rallies around New Jersey to promote Project 14 and to “sign-up activists committed to winning New Jersey for President Trump.”

The first such rally is going to be in Ocean County and it will include Christine Serrano Glassner, the Trump-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate.

The location has some political significance.

After Serrano Glassner was endorsed by Trump, Ocean County Republicans reiterated their support for Curtis Bashaw, the other main candidate in the primary race.

Clearly, Crispi’s group is not intimidated by that.