An outdoor event last night on the shore put the boots on the ground of those Republican foot soldiers and luminaries looking to carve out a way forward amid tough circumstances in two key GOP counties.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4) (pictured above with Chairman Golden Shaun Golden and GOP diehard Frank Luna) played the role of grand elder statesmen amid those up and coming others trying to straddle what’s left of the NJGOP establishment and the reelection candidacy of President Donald J. Trump.

The mood was buoyant at an event in part staged to highlight the alliance between Monmouth County GOP Chairman Golden and Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman.

Naturally, 2021 rivals Doug Steinhardt (the state party chairman) and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16) showed up.

They both want to be governor.

They worked the crowd.

So did Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-21).