Former New Jersey state senator Edward Durr, who gained national attention for unseating longtime state Senate President Stephen Sweeney in 2021, has announced his bid for the governorship as a Republican. Durr believes that blue-collar Americans can make a difference in government and aims to give regular people a voice in Trenton.
Former New Jersey state senator Edward Durr, known as "Ed the Trucker," has launched his Republican campaign for governor, declaring that blue-collar Americans can make a substantial impact in government. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Durr expressed his belief that the Garden State may witness multiple political upheavals this year.
Durr, who faces 2021 GOP gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli and state senator Jon Bramnick in the Republican primary, may face a rematch with Sweeney in the gubernatorial race. The Gloucester County Republican emphasized that his campaign is akin to his initial bid against Sweeney, describing it as "a campaign of grassroots."
"It is of the people, by the people, and for the people," Durr stated. "I'm not your prototypical candidate, so to speak. I'm not a lawyer, not a doctor, not a rich businessman of sorts. You know, I'm just a regular, working-class guy."
Durr, who has worked in construction and as a truck driver, believes he possesses the best qualifications to "give people a voice in Trenton – because Trenton has been ignoring the regular person." He contends that Trenton has prioritized special interests over the concerns of ordinary citizens who are struggling to make ends meet.
While Durr supports former President Trump and attended his recent Wildwood rally, he emphasized that he is not an "ultra-conservative." Instead, he described himself as an open-minded conservative with traditional views on fiscal responsibility, public safety, parental rights, and the Second Amendment.
"But I'm also open-minded to things. I understand that there's compromise in government. So I don't like being painted into one category," Durr said. "I've never liked labels. There's a sense in that because I think many people say [New Jersey] is a hard blue state. I don't see us as a hard blue state. I see us as a more purple state with a big blue streak running down the middle of it."
Durr argued that beyond the densely populated suburbs along the New Jersey Turnpike, the state consists of a "mixed bag" of moderate-to-conservative residents who simply desire a voice in their government. He identified voter turnout as a critical factor and attributed his victory over Sweeney in 2021 to increased voter participation.
Durr expressed his belief that Trump could potentially win New Jersey, citing the former president's appeal to the masses and the geopolitical dynamics of the state. He suggested that the same working-class voters who supported his own victory would extend their support to Trump if he were to run in New Jersey.
While Republican gubernatorial candidates have had greater success in New Jersey than in other statewide races, Durr acknowledged that he may need to work with a Democratic legislature if elected. However, he did not rule out the possibility of Republicans gaining control of the state assembly.
"One of the major ways is cut the fat. There is a lot of fat. And New Jersey's budget, the budget continues to increase year after year," he said, suggesting that some Democrats might be willing to negotiate with a "Governor Durr" on that front. "It's a simple policy. Just get rid of the fat and allow people to grow and earn a living – and New Jersey will grow."
Durr also discussed the widespread distrust among New Jersey residents towards their officials, referencing the indictments against Senator Robert Menendez. He suggested that these corruption allegations have contributed to the public's anger and willingness to support elected officials who represent their interests.
"It's been an acceptable situation…where there's corruption in politics. I think people are finally learning that it doesn't have to be. We can actually fight back and say, no, we're not accepting this. You're going to serve us. You work for us, ‘We the People’, and you're going to answer to us," he said. "And I think that's finally come about, and I like the possibility of New Jersey actually getting a Republican U.S. senator."
When asked about the potential of facing Sweeney in a rematch, Durr maintained his previous strategy. He accused Sweeney of portraying himself as a moderate during his Senate tenure but asserted that he is a progressive, claiming that the outgoing Governor Phil Murphy's liberal agenda could have been passed without Sweeney's approval.
Sweeney's campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Finally, Durr addressed the issue of sudden crises such as anti-Israel protests on college campuses, including Rutgers. While acknowledging the First Amendment rights of assembly and speech, he stressed that violence and intimidation crossed the line.
"Those protesters are interfering with students trying to go to school. They have blocked them. They have harassed them. They have assaulted them … that cannot be tolerated," he said. "I think the protesters are wrong. They don't understand the dynamics of the situation in the Middle East. They're protesting for some reason – I have no idea why they're doing it, but if that's what they want to do, they're free to do it if they're not interfering."
Requests for comment from the New Jersey Republican Party and New Jersey Democratic State Committee were not returned at the time of publication.
