DENVILLE – The guy with the MAGA hat seemed to be eyeing Mikie Sherrill cautiously as the Democratic congresswoman approached his gathering,

They met and exchanged pleasantries. After Sherrill moved on, Charles Botti, the fella with the “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, said he had no real beef with the Democrat. As a new member of the House, Botti reasoned that Sherrill hasn’t done anything wrong yet, adding, “Not like some of the others.”

This meeting and observation occurred at the township’s National Night Out celebration.This annual event is designed to build rapport between police and the community by bringing people together on a summer evening. Police and others – firefighters, EMTs and the like – display their equipment and chit-chat with residents. Food is usually served with hot dogs, not surprisingly, a big part of the event.

National Night Out is made for politicians, who know they’re going to mix with many people. Sherrill, in fact, planned to attend seven such events throughout the 11th District.

When she arrived in Denville, she ran into an elected official from across the aisle – Republican Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco from the 25th District.

“We do work together,” Bucco said as he and the congresswoman greeted residents and periodically posed for photos.

Also on hand was Denville Mayor Tom Andes, who is seeking reelection this fall. Andes, a Republican,  has two opponents – a Democrat and an independent. So this should be a fun race to watch.

As Sherrill made the rounds before heading to her next stop in Parsippany (Bucco by the way was going to Boonton), she said people weren’t asking all that many questions about national issues.

Regarding the Trump supporter, Sherrill said, “I’d like to see the country move in another direction, not everyone agrees.”