RIDGEWOOD - The lyrics of Ray Charles blared from a crowded restaurant Tuesday evening as Mikie Sherrill wrapped up a spirited rally in this spiffy Bergen County town.

The song was - what else? - "Hit the Road, Jack."

No one had to ask for whom it was meant.

Sherrill had just told the crowd, which spilled out into Chestnut Street, that this election is about "opportunity" - bringing about a state in which all have a chance to succeed.

Like "Jack," Mikie also has a bus for the last week of the campaign.

Her bus junket began earlier today in Bloomfield and then stopped in Parsippany, which has a large Indian population.

She visited the Bollywood Grill in the Lake Hiawatha section and then spoke to supporters at a nearby gazebo.

Fresh from a chat with the owners of the restaurant, she spoke about tariffs - they're 50 percent on Indian imports  - and how they are hurting small businesses in New Jersey. The result is it's tougher to hire employees and the tariffs drag on the economy reduces sales.

She called it a "world wide extortion racket," that ends up benefiting President Trump.

If elected, Sherrill said she would join lawsuits to stop the tariffs.

Condemning Trump is a big part of Sherrill's campaign and it may be working.

Some polls are closer than others, but Jack Ciattarelli, at least up to now, has never led.

Democrats are also beating Republicans in early voting - both via the mail and on the machines. Figures today show the margin about 210,000 in the Dems' favor.

Sherrill acknowledged that, but like just about any other candidate, pledged to continue her 21-county bus jaunt up until Election Day.

Specifically, she was scheduled to attend a rally later tonight in Jersey City.

And, of course, people have to vote.

Obviously, those who show up for a rally are going to vote. So, Sherrill urged the few hundred people listening to her this evening to make sure their friends and relatives vote.

"We've got seven days to bring this home," she said.

Prior to the rally, Sherrill walked around the village visiting businesses, guided by Paul Vagianos, the mayor.

Vagianos offered a sobering assessment.This is a Democratic-leaning locale, but last year only 70 percent of registered voters turned out.

That seems pretty good, but not in a town as affluent and educated as Ridgewood. Just for the record, Kamala Harris won here by about 3,900 votes over Trump.

The turnout this year is unknown although if the election is seen as a national referendum, Vagianos reasoned Sherrill will be in good shape.

Paul Juliano, chair of the Bergen County Democratic Committee, also spoke, as did many of the party's local candidates.

Juliano apparently has been hearing Ciattarelli say he doesn't want a job in Washington and that when he's done as governor, he's heading to the beach in Surf City.

Juliano's suggestion. Let's send Jack to LBI next week.