Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28) said he doesn’t know why President Donald J. Trump acts the way he does, but laments what he described as the lack of superior healthcare in this country to handle possible mental challenges besieging this sitting Republican president.

“I think there may be some counseling issues,” Rice said. “Of course, we never did get a good grip on healthcare.”

He posited Alzheimer’s, without any show of mean-spiritedness.  His tone was of concern, for the president and the country, said the senator from Newark, a Vietnam combat veteran for the U.S. Marine Corps.

“Politically, Republicans and Democrats alike are both disappointed and angry,” Rice said.  “In New Jersey, because of those anxieties and people observing this guy for this long, there will be great opportunities, starting with the 11th district.”

One of Rice’s towns occupies the 11th District, and just last night, he CD11 candidate Mikie Sherrill, Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Leroy Jones, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo and Assemblywoman Cleo Tucker joined local leaders in Bloomfieled to determine the best way they could drive turnout for Sherrill in the Essex municipality.

Sherrill is running against Republican nominee Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-26) for the congressional seat vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11).

“Republicans don’t agree with certain Democratic policies but they are concerned with how the law is being impacted by Trump,” Rice said. “Elsewhere in the state, [state Senator Jeff] Van drew is home free to some degree [in CD2]. Republicans respect his leadership and his conservative approach. The [Rep. Tom] MacArthur district [3] is in play; of course, he’ll pour in a lot of money to back up his support for the president, but I think the opportunity is there for New Jersey. At the end of the day, that will depend on huge turnout in those districts.”

He cited how critical Bloomfield will be for Sherrill.

“We have to pump hard there,” Rice said.