WAYNE – Kellyanne Conway became the TV face of the Trump administration soon after he became president.

Monday night, Conway brought that familiar face to a Route 23 banquet hall to help raise campaign cash for Jay Webber. As it was last week when House Speaker Paul Ryan stumped for Webber, the news was not so much what Conway said, but that she was there.

“I appreciate her help,” Webber said. “This is a woman who has won tough elections and this is a tough election.”

For the record, Conway, who is an advisor to the president and a New Jersey native, talked about the good economy, job growth and revamped trade deals that are more beneficial to the United States.

But the real news was that she was in the 11th District in the first place.

Webber knew why.

He said her trip to Passaic County – like the speaker’s visit last week – is a sure sign that prominent Republicans recognize the importance of holding the 11th.

That recognition continues in a big way Thursday when the president will host a fundraiser in Washington for Webber and two other Republicans in tough congressional races.

One of the local politicians in the crowd Monday night was state Sen. Kristin Corrado of Totowa, a place renowned for turning out votes for Republicans. But the Totowa machine, if you will, didn’t support Webber in last June’s primary, opting for hometown candidate Antony Ghee.

That was then.

This is now.

Corrado said Totowa Republicans are all in for Webber.

A partisan political rally is not normally the place for sober assessment, at least publicly.

But one source said privately that Webber needs a healthy win in Passaic County to cancel out a likely healthy loss in Essex County to Democrat Mikie Sherrill.

If that happens, Webber will be in good shape, considering he figures to do well in  Morris and Sussex counties. Of course, a Webber win in Passaic is no sure thing.
But those who wanted to analyze the race were in the minority. It was more a time for upbeat predictions.

Ron DeFilippis, the Morris County Republican chair, said Webber has the momentum. He speculated that the current wave of migrants approaching the southern border could help Republicans.
It’s true that President Trump’s tough stance on immigration and refugees can energize those on the right.

Yet, some on the left may see this as another sign of the administration’s indifference to human suffering.

And that is why we have elections.