So, what do New Jersey conservatives do now?

There is "soul-searching" indeed after an election that saw Mikie Sherrill win the governor's race by more than double digits and Democrats expand their Assembly majority by five seats.

One thing they do is "get together" - literally and figuratively.

That happened last Saturday at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township.

".... the Center for Garden State Families and the newly formed New Jersey Property Taxpayers Coalition did something that no county committee, no consultant, no legislator and no state party operative has managed to do in more than a year: They united New Jersey’s fractured conservative movement under one roof."

That was the update assessment of the day by Rob Kovic, of Sussex County, who sent out a review of the proceedings.

Continuing, he wrote:

"The 2025 GOP gubernatorial primary split grassroots conservatives into rival factions - many of whom had not shared a room, let alone a conversation, in nearly a year. Saturday changed that.

Leaders who once stood, somewhat, shoulder-to-shoulder found themselves estranged after the primary. Activists who once campaigned together became adversaries. Entire organizations fractured into competing camps.
But on Saturday, those same individuals walked into the same room with a common purpose: stopping the progressive policies hollowing out this state and reviving the apparently defunct New Jersey Republican Party."

The sentiment is understandable, but was last June's Republican primary really that bitter?

To many, it was a mere formality - certainly after Donald Trump endorsed Jack Ciattarelli. "Jack" as his campaign signs read, won easily, getting about 316,000 votes compared to an estimated 101,000 for Bill Spadea.

Ciattarelli was not at the event, but Spadea was - and spoke.

A cynic has to wonder about Spadea's presence at a unity event, considering that after losing the primary, he not only failed to endorse Ciattarelli, he criticized his campaign on his radio show.

Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco, who was there, said on Tuesday that there was some talk about that and how to get past it. He noted that "name calling and finger pointing" are not productive.
Bucco said looking back to the last election may have some value, but it is more important for Republicans to work together and move forward,

To that end, he said legislative districts are different, meaning that Republican candidates have to understand the issues in their own regions.

Also speaking Saturday were representatives from a number of New Jersey's conservative organizations, including Garden State Initiative, Moms for Liberty and New Jersey Right to Life. Additionally, some of the speakers included Steve Lonegan, a candidate for state GOP chair, and Mario Kranjac, who also ran unsuccessfully in the party's gubernatorial primary.

Kovic's report also announced the formation of the aforementioned Property Taxpayers Coalition.

"This coalition is going to be more than a watchdog group," he wrote. "It is a strategic operations platform designed to bring together taxpayers, policy experts, elected officials, and grassroots advocates -  all united around one mission: To apply sustained, targeted, intelligent pressure on the Legislature until real property-tax reform is passed.”

Reducing property taxes is a bipartisan concern in New Jersey if there ever was one. The problem is "home rule," but it's unclear if this new coalition would agree. In general, conservatives support home rule.

At the same time, Kovic said the theme of the event was unity and strength going forward. He put it this way:

"For years, New Jersey conservatives have been told to lower their voices and get behind whatever version of 'moderation' the party machine was selling. Hopefully, that era is over. What emerged on Saturday was a reminder -  a powerful one  - that when grassroots conservatives speak with clarity and stand with conviction, the ground shifts beneath them."

Uplifting rhetoric aside, there are always practicalities ahead.

A new state Republican chair will be elected in early January. That should help determine the future of New Jersey Republicans.