They couldn’t avoid each other in the closing hours, days and minutes of Election Day 2017, Republicans and Democrats trying to gain an edge, with Phil Murphy finalizing his case against a Chris Christie third term, as he calls it, and Kim Guadagno zapping him in return on taxes.

Down in the polls statewide, at least one Republican continues to make the more aggressive, into-enemy-territory incursions.

The clash spilled into a town hall last weekend in Port Monmouth, where Kevin Tober, who works for the Senate Republican Majority Committee, plugged a phone camera in Murphy’s face as the candidate finished his public remarks. Tober’s tailed Murphy, just as he’s tailed others, including Senator Bob Gordon (D-38), Senator Linda Greenstein (D-14), and LD11 Senate candidate Vin Gopal. Murphy staffer Dan Bryan stepped between Tober and the gubernatorial candidate while the GOP operative kept filming, and a man nearby in a Vietnam veteran’s ballcap told Tober to step back.

The candidates continued to be very visible.

Guadagno did a town hall of her own last night in Old Tappan, while Murphy held a City Hall steps rally with Mayor Adrian Mapp in Plainfield. Murphy maintained up his schedule of town halls and whistle stops today, while Guadagno made the rounds statewide in her campaign bus.