The Republican source stared haggardly at the mangled political landscape and – gun to his head – declared his worry about the reelection capacities of incumbent U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7).

“I’m not saying he’s going to lose…”

The voice trailed off.

“I think [Democrat Tom] Malinowski would have run the same campaign against him had he voted like U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur,” the source declared, pragmatic enough with experience to avoid sounding exasperated.

But it’s a little frustrating.

Lance threads the needle with his voting and a financially well-heeled challenger can still make him into a protector of President Donald J. Trump.

To be fair, Malinowski has mostly made the case that Lance hasn’t adequately stood up to Trump across a broader range of issues. The incumbent graded the president a “B” in his NTV debate.

Still, “I do think MacArthur pulls it out in CD-3 because I think, in the end, even though he stood with Trump more often than Leonard, people perceive him to stand for something,” the source said.

Ocean also holds the state’s biggest breadbasket of pro-Trump voters, so that makes it easier.

Trying to straddle his Central Jersey district, Lance has made his case for bipartisanship.

But the source said he feels the energy on the ground for the opposition and notes that it will be difficult for the moderate from Hunterdon County – in this atmosphere – to muster the districtwide support he needs.