Nearly a year ago, President Donald Trump had no loving or kind words for New Jersey’s perennial political loudmouth, Steve Lonegan. At the time, Lonegan was an outspoken “Never Trump” provocateur, campaigning viciously against the President during his campaign, even going as far as being a political commentator on the liberal news network, MSNBC.
Lonegan used the MSNBC spotlight to take shots at Trump whenever he could and is now on the long list of “Never Trumpers” backing the party’s establishment candidates for governor in New Jersey.
Lonegan has a long history of being on the wrong side of political races in New Jersey and at the Presidential level.
“The only kamikaze effort,” Lonegan said of Trump in a Philly Magazine interview last summer, “is going to happen in November, when Donald Trump takes the Republican Party down to a resounding defeat.”
He was of course wrong, and Trump dismissed Lonegan as a perennial loser.
“He’s always lost,” Trump said of Lonegan in a Star Ledger interview. “He’s a loser. … Always been a nasty guy. He loses. He’s a loser.”
Trump said he knows Steve Lonegan well.
“You have a guy named Lonegan,” Trump said. “I’ve known Lonegan for 25 years in New Jersey. The guy’s a loud-mouth guy.”
Today, InsiderNJ announced “Loser Lonegan” is ready to pick a candidate to endorse in New Jersey’s Republican primary election for Governor and it appears he’s going to back one of the two establishment candidates, Kim Guadagno or Jack Ciattarelli.
In a strange twist of political fate, it appears the self proclaimed outsider may be looking to get back on in the inside after his multiple failed political campaigns over the years.
The Lonegan endorsement could also be a blessing in disguise for pro Trump candidates Joe Rullo of Ocean County and Steve Rogers of Nutley, both working hard to win over the non-establishment Republican voters in New Jersey.