Morris County Republicans think they have a great way to motivate their base – Brett Kavanaugh.
A recent communique from the Morris GOP proclaims, “Just watch the Kavanaugh hearings and be motivated to do everything you can to win in November.”

It includes photos of Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer over the headline, “Democrats’ smash and smear agenda reaches new heights.”

There’s no mention, of course, of a possible sexual assault involving the then very young Kavanaugh.
This is interesting strategy. County Republicans obviously hope conservative-leaning or independent voters not yet planning to vote in the midterm election will be encouraged to do so because of how Democrats are treating Kavanaugh.

The stakes are very high in Morris.

Republicans long have had their own way in the county, but things seem to be changing. Democrats won almost two dozen municipal seats from Republicans last year and this time around, they have a well-funded congressional candidate, Mikie Sherrill, to turn out voters and spark interest.

The fear on the Republican side of the aisle is that Democrats may do what seemed unthinkable just a few years ago – win a county election. Three freeholder seats are up this year.

The missive about Kavanaugh also seems timed to help attendance at a party fundraiser next Tuesday in Mountain Lakes for freeholder candidates Deborah Smith, John Krickus and Stephen Shaw. They are running under the banner of “Keep Morris Strong.” The cost is $250 per person.

The Brett Kavanaugh issue, of course, cuts both ways.

Democrats also can use it to spur turnout, contending that the only way to stop the naming of conservative judges is to elect more Democrats to the Senate. This election is unlikely to impact the Kavanaugh nomination, but there will be more judicial appointments to come on all levels.

Recall that it was Republican Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina who said just a week or so ago that if Dems want to pick judges, they have to win elections.

Talk about motivation for Democrats.