WINDSOR - Barack Obama is coming Saturday to campaign for Mikie Sherrill. Pete Buttigieg is scheduled to be in New Jersey on Thursday.

To which, Jack Ciattarelli shrugged.

If the idea is to give the Sherrill campaign energy, it's not going to happen. Ciattarelli said his opponent's campaign has never had any energy and it's too late to start now.

The Republican candidate commented Wednesday evening just before visiting the Robbinsville Bar and Grill in Mercer County. This is a Democratic-leaning county, but Ciattarelli didn't seem to mind.

He likes talking about what he says are now "14 Democratic officials" who have endorsed him.

Inside the bar, Ciattarelli made the rounds, posed for pictures and greeted people he knew.

He then led his supporters to the patio for a pep talk, or rather, his standard stump speech.

After checking his watch, Ciattarelli projected that in "six days and six hours," he will be declaring victory.

Most of Ciattarelli's events draw a passionate crowd - "positive energy," he calls it - and this one was no exception.

The crowd chanted, "Jack, Jack, Jack" when he finished.

Amid this good feeling, however, there are some facts.

Democrats are winning the mail-in ballot vote by about 3-1 and are slightly ahead in the early machine vote.

Ciattarelli was asked if that concerns him.

No, it doesn't.

He said Republicans are turning in mail-in ballots at a greater rate than ever before and that the GOP is just about matching Democrats in the early voting.

"We're in great shape, we're headed toward a victory," he said.

And to make that happen, Ciattarelli will ride his campaign bus up and down the state until next Tuesday, which is what he's been doing more or less (without the bus) ever since losing the 2021 race.

And right on cue, Ciattarelli bid his supporters adieu and got back on the bus,

Next stop - Old Bridge.