WATCHUNG - Eddie Donnelly knows labor.

He's a certified plumber who worked in the family plumbing business. Just over 25 years ago, he became a professional firefighter in Union Twp.

At it ever since.

Now, with a month to go in this general election cycle, Donnelly, President of the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA), and his members, occupy the front line in this gubernatorial contest.

Amid jittery vibes on the working man front about Democratic Party priorities, they went all in with U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11), the Democratic nominee.

And they did so for a reason: "There's only one labor candidate in the race," Donnelly says.

He elaborated this morning over coffee, "It's real simple. New Jersey is going to have some complex issues, around pensions, healthcare, and the administration at the federal level clawing dollars away from New Jersey. Mikie Sherrill's labor record is solid with labor - 100%, and we believe that will transition into her gubernatorial term where she is going to have to be making some tough decisions and I know we will be at the table with her."

What about members who doubt the party Sherrill leads in the Garden State?

"Social issues are your social issues," said the firefighter labor leader. "What we do - what you [FMBA members] elect me to do - is to go out there and vet the candidates and make sure they're right and squared away on the issues important to us. We went out there and we brought it back. The other candidate [Jack Ciattarelli] has been in elected office or trying to reach elected office for decades. His track record is horrible for labor, whether he was a freeholder and tried to merge police departments with no concern for collective bargaining, on the floor of the assembly where he spoke viciously against firefighters and police officers [seeking permanent implementation Chris Christie's 2% arbitration cap, which would override binding interest arbitration for firefighters, specifically put in place by the legislature as a labor protection because firefighters can't strike], and as a gubernatorial candidate he outright said pensions and benfits need to be reformed.

"This is a private sector, management kind of guy," Donnelly said. "His moral compass is not in line with labor in New Jersey."

The firefighter/labor organization leader said the Republicans' attempt to tarnish Sherrill's military record angered him. "It was dirty," he said. "This is a Navy veteran, never a blemish on her record, and not only did they release private, unredacted record, but they put her family out there. Never bring family into the situation. You don't do that."

Donnelly said at this critical moment in history, Sherrill as governor would work to protect labor and government workers.

"We can see what's going on with the shutdown - hundreds of thousands of federal workers out of work - just terrible." he said. "She represents everything - EVERYTHING - against what is happening down there in Washington."

Watch the (FULL!) InsiderNJ Interview with Eddie Donnelly, including his views on the developing GOTV situation and turnout BELOW: