HILLSBOROUGH - A significant question in the 12th Congressional District earlier this year concerned the political intentions of popular progressive state Senator Andrew Zwicker (D-16). Many Central Jersey insiders considered Zwicker the heir apparent to retiring U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12).

But Zwicker - chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee - ended up not running for federal office as he digs into state issues, instead assuming a lead role in a fight to save some version of public broadcasting and public media in the aftermath of deep federal cuts.

Respected by his colleagues for his fast mastery of issues (especially in the areas of science, technology, energy and good government) and steady real-world adherence to the scientific method, the Princeton plasma physicist earlier today talked to InsiderNJ about his decision to remain focused on his state senate duties.

In a wide-ranging interview at his office, Senator Zwicker considered the results in the CD-12 Democratic Primary, the implications of nominee Dr. Adam Hamawy, the future of public television, the FY2027 Budget, inflation, energy, including legislation he authored signed into law by the governor, data center regulation, the environment, smart growth, the priorities of the Democratic Party in a federal midterm election year, rank choice voting, primary runoff elections, and his ongoing effort to combat cynicism, especially the cynicism stoked by President Donald J. Trump.

On this last point, Zwicker contextualized the news from last week about the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission improperly registering approximately 6,600 noncitizen individuals to vote between June 2023 and June 2024.

Trump, the senator said, will obviously continue to use that news to create greater doubt about the integrity of elections. "What does a want to be dictator do?" Zwicker asked. "He says a lie over and over again until people start to go, 'Maybe it's true.' When something like what happened at motor vehicles occurs, everyone goes, 'See, I told you the lie is true.'

"What happened at motor vehicle is serious," he added. "But the fact is we do not have and never have had widespread voter fraud in this country, a conclusion drawn by left and right leaning policy groups. In Trump's case, it's fitting a narrative that is a lie. Those people are .001 percent of the people who voted that year. That said, it should never have happened, the governor [Mikie Sherrill] has been out front and transparent, I applaud her for that. She's going to fix it."

In addition, the senator discussed his advocacy of real ID legislation.

"The cynical folks are using this [motor vehicle scandal] to drive us further apart," he said. "We need healthy Democratic and Republican parties. When you have what we see at the national level, Trump and his Republican cronies infusing cynicism, we have to combat more than cynicism. We have to combat the lies."

But what about the possibility of ICE showing up on election day and intimidating voters?

"Just this week, the Governor signed into law the John R. Lewis Act," said Zwicker. "New Jersey has an historical example of using law enforcement to suppress the vote and we are making sure that never happens again. We are going to be ready so that all eligible New Jersey voters have access to voting [and] feel safe to vote. It's going to take a coordinated effort. We are ready at the state, county and local level to make sure there is no voter intimidation."

But if they don't deploy, won't a vacuum give an opportunity to ICE?

In other words, unless state, local and county law enforcement are at the polling places, won't ICE be there to dominate and intimidate?

Careful, said Zwicker.

"Traditionally, uniformed law enforcement going back to the whole history, have been used, by their presence, to intimidate voters," he said.

If uniformed state police go in to ensure ICE doesn't "Will we end up with the same result?"

"How we manage that is going to be a tricky balance," Zwicker insisted.

For that, and more, (indeed, the FULL!) interview with the Senator, please see below: