The kid from Bergen County steps into the ring and soon is going toe-to-toe with Donald Trump.

Trump is wearing a suit (there are limits to AI one supposes) but his opponent is in boxing trunks.

This is the latest TV ad for Josh Gottheimer, the CD-5 congressman and gubernatorial candidate in the June Democratic primary.

Gottheimer, you see, is a "born fighter."

And if he gets to be governor, that is precisely what he will do. So says the fight announcer, or rather the narrator.

"In Congress, Gottheimer got the impossible done, passing infrastructure and gun safety laws, and fighting for Jersey to stop Donald Trump’s tariffs and chaos. Now, he’s ready for the big one."

An ad portraying a candidate literally fighting Trump is at least creative.
All Mikie Sherrill does is fly helicopters.

The theme here is obvious. Gottheimer is not going to back down.

In a phone chat Wednesday afternoon, Gottheimer said the ad stresses how "tenacious" and "tough" he is.

The reaction, he said, has been unbelievable.

Still, if he gets to the general election, you can expect Republicans to have some fun with this ad.

Gottheimer clearly won the bout, although the ad stops short of showing Trump on his back.

It ends with Gottheimer sporting a fighter's robe and holding his hands aloft.

Just for the record, Gottheimer is almost 30 years younger than the president. But Trump certainly would have a height and weight advantage.

Gottheimer probably would not qualify as a heavyweight.

No matter. Says Gottheimer:

"I'm pretty scrappy."