New Jersey is not a "pro-life" state, the passion of anti-abortion advocates notwithstanding.

Nonetheless, we just saw formation of a New Jersey Pro-Life Alliance with one immediate goal - defeat Mikie Sherrill.

The newly-formed Alliance met last Saturday to discuss the state of the governor's race and presumably, talk strategy. This according to a report on the event by Rob Kovic in the Jersey Conservative, a website created by Steve Lonegan, a one-time mayor of Bogota, who has run many times for statewide office as a principled conservative, albeit unsuccessfully.

Here is the gist of the event, according to Kovic's report:

"The New Jersey Pro-Life Alliance is forming to stop Mike Sherrill whose administration would pose an existential threat to tens of thousands of unborn children, thousands of vulnerable women, hundreds of churches, and scores of crisis pregnancy centers."

Attendees included Lonegan, Mikie Crispi, of America First Republicans NJ, Assembly GOP Leader John DiMaio and fellow Republican Assemblymen Erik Peterson and Jay Webber.

Interestingly, both Kovic and Webber have had encounters with Sherrill - Webber more than Kovic.

Kovic back in 2022 entered a six-person Republican primary field, hoping to challenge Sherrill in CD-11 His campaign never gained traction and Paul DeGroot won the primary.

Webber ran against Sherrill in 2018 when the now-gubernatorial candidate was elected to the House for the first time following the retirement of Rodney Frelinghuysen. Sherrill won with about 56 percent of the vote.

With the 2025 race looming, Webber's reported observation was that Sherrill cares more about "social justice" than she does about the state's problems with affordability.

Clearly, the most political part of the day revolved around Bill Spadea, a pro-lifer himself.

Still, Spadea has not endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli and seemingly has no plans to do so.

Lonegan contrasted Spadea's stance with his own, dating back to 2009. That's when Lonegan challenged - and lost - to Chris Christie in that year's primary.

But there was a difference.

Lonegan related how he got together with Christie soon after the primary to plan a united effort against Jon Corzine. Christie, of course, won and of more relevance to those at Saturday's event, he defunded Planned Parenthood as governor through his line item veto.

Lonegan called on Spadea to do the same regarding Ciattarelli, but that seems unlikely.

In summarizing, Kovic's report quoted Michael Byrne, the alliance's executive director, as saying:

"There has been a massive void of pro-life political activity in this state. Pro-Life warriors launched the 20 Week Pain Capable bill several years ago and now we finally have a gubernatorial candidate who is championing that common sense, scientific legislation. The pro-life activists who came together this week are ready to Stop Sherrill, elect Jack, and end abortion after 20 weeks."

But to do that, there needs to be unity.

Kovic ended his commentary with a rather stark message in that regard:

"We need to get beyond the 'sore asses' and the 'fifth grade' and make the best choice to start saving unborn children."