PASSAIC COUNTY, New Jersey — The upcoming New Jersey governor's race is poised to be a significant indicator of Latino political engagement in an era post-Trump. Both Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are vying for votes in Passaic County, a crucial battleground due to its high Latino population and historical voting patterns. Last year, President Donald Trump secured a victory here, a first for a GOP presidential candidate in decades, signaling a possible shift in Latino voter allegiance.

With Election Day just around the corner, concerns are mounting about the effectiveness of both campaigns in mobilizing the Latino community. Local leaders and strategists have noted a palpable lack of enthusiasm, with one Democratic strategist lamenting the proactive efforts that have fallen short.

At a recent rally in Paterson, Passaic Mayor Hector Lora urged attendees not to stay home, emphasizing the national attention on New Jersey’s vote. Meanwhile, the landscape in Passaic shows scant signs of election fervor, with few campaign posters and a main early voting site obscured by ongoing construction, complicating access for voters.

Campaign efforts by Sherrill have included door-knocking campaigns by groups like Make the Road New Jersey, which reported mixed responses from the community. Many voters remain undecided, while others express a disinterest in participating this year. This aligns with the troubling early voting numbers in Passaic County, which lag behind the state average, reflecting a broader disengagement that local leaders attribute to inadequate outreach to Latino voters.

On the Republican side, Ciattarelli has actively engaged with Latino communities, attending parades and connecting with local churches and businesses. His campaign believes that last year’s success was not merely a ‘Trump effect’ but the beginning of a realignment of Latino voters with GOP values. However, the delicate balance he maintains on immigration issues remains a concern for many, with recent polls suggesting a dip in Trump’s popularity among Latinos.

Both campaigns are in a race against time to boost Latino voter turnout, with Sherrill making heartfelt appeals in Spanish at local rallies and Ciattarelli maximizing his presence in Latino-dominated events.

As the clock ticks down to Election Day, Passaic County stands as a critical measure of whether the Latino shift toward the GOP will persist or if Democrats can reclaim lost ground. The outcome here could reshape the parties' strategies moving forward, making this not just a local but a national bellwether in American politics.

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