At the Essex Democratic Committee’s gala last week, Chairman Leroy Jones went to the front of the room with his granddaughter Cali in his arms, his wife Jackie at his side, and talked about the future.

The election, said the chairman, is about President Donald J. Trump and what he’s doing to the country.

Now it’s six days away, and he’s on the heels of another rally, this one in his home town of East Orange last night. The allies of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) want high performance in Hudson, Bergen and Essex counties. Of the three, Essex is home to more Democrats than any other county in the state.

They’re counting on Jones.

He’s got two key allies on the ballot there – Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake (D-34) and Essex Freeholder candidate Tyshammie Cooper.

“No doubt, Trump represents a threat,” Jones – in GOTV mode – told InsiderNJ on Wednesday morning. “Trump is a lightning rod here, and not just in Essex. This election – it’s Trump. Just the other day – that statement he made about signing an executive order to end birthright citizenship – he understand that he’s talking to his base, I get that.

“But that’s not New Jersey, that’s not Essex County,” said Jones. “He’s enraged people. That’s why the election doesn’t rest on Menendez alone. It rests on the generations behind us, coming up behind us. They see the clock being turned back. Today’s about tomorrow. Clearly Trump is the lightning rod. He creates here that force of nature that will allow us to pull Bob Menendez over the finish line.”

Jones upbraided the President on every front.

“Trump displays no sensitivity to women – to young women – to minorities, immigrants, or to African Americans – my own ancestors, who were responsible in part for the building of America, said the Essex County Democratic chairman. “This guy every day erodes whatever hope and opportunity exists for the future of our children. That’s why I made the point to stand up with my granddaughter. It’s tomorrow we should be concerned about because this is awful.”