TRENTON, N.J. — Republicans in New Jersey have overwhelmingly failed in their attempt to flip New Jersey from hard blue to red. This year, the state moved slightly to the right, but the local effort to “Save Jersey” has pretty much been a bust.
That could change if the man who helped President Donald Trump flip the Keystone State carries out his plan to flip the Garden State.
Scott Presler, the Republican activist credited with spearheading Donald Trump’s pivotal win in Pennsylvania, is setting his sights on New Jersey, declaring the traditionally Democratic state ripe for a political shift after the GOP’s strong 2024 showing.
“New Jersey is trending to the right. There’s momentum,” Presler, 36, told The Post, highlighting Trump’s historic gains in the Garden State. Trump flipped Gloucester, Morris, Passaic, Cumberland, and Atlantic counties — several of which had not gone Republican in decades. Trump’s performance in New Jersey, where he closed the margin to just six points against Vice President Kamala Harris, marked the best GOP result in the state since George W. Bush’s re-election in 2004.
Presler’s Early Vote Action PAC has already rehired 23 staffers in New Jersey and launched an aggressive ground game, making it the first organization to begin organizing ahead of the 2025 gubernatorial race. “Whereas Republican parties in the past will pack up, go home, not renew contracts, Early Vote Action already right now, in December of 2024, has staff on the ground,” Presler said, promising a robust presence statewide.
The group’s outreach efforts are expansive, targeting diverse voter bases at truck stops, gun shows, fraternity houses, veterans’ organizations, and popular public spaces like the Wildwood Boardwalk. “You’re going to see us everywhere,” Presler said, underscoring the GOP’s intent to connect with voters disillusioned by Democratic policies.
Presler, an openly gay conservative activist known for his grassroots voter registration campaigns and early support of Donald Trump, is intensifying his efforts in New Jersey as Republicans eye the governor’s mansion in 2025. Presler, a polarizing figure with ties to far-right movements, sees the traditionally Democratic state as fertile ground for a political shift following the GOP’s significant 2024 gains.
Born in the late 1980s and raised by a U.S. Navy captain, Presler studied criminal justice at George Mason University before entering Republican politics in 2015. He gained national recognition for his work as a field director for Trump’s 2016 campaign and for co-founding the group Gays for Trump. Despite his controversial past affiliations, including work with the anti-Muslim group ACT for America and participation in Stop the Steal protests, Presler has recently focused on voter mobilization efforts through his nonprofit, Early Vote Action.
The organization, which aims to increase Republican voter turnout, has already stationed staff in New Jersey ahead of the 2025 gubernatorial election. “We’re not waiting until next year,” Presler told The Post, emphasizing a year-round strategy to flip the Garden State. Presler plans to target a broad spectrum of voters, from gun rights advocates to veterans and young conservatives.
While his methods have drawn criticism, Presler has demonstrated his ability to galvanize Republican voters. In 2024, he played a key role in mobilizing turnout in Pennsylvania, helping Trump secure a pivotal victory in the state. His grassroots initiatives have expanded to include community clean-ups and large-scale voter registration events, such as the one planned for Edison on December 11.
Presler’s growing influence within the GOP is underscored by financial backing from high-profile allies, including a $1 million contribution from Elon Musk. With Republicans narrowing the margin in New Jersey during the 2024 election, Presler’s efforts could shape the political landscape ahead of next year’s high-stakes governor’s race.
With a war chest of $2.2 million and a $1 million boost from Trump ally Elon Musk earlier this year, Early Vote Action aims to build on its success in Pennsylvania, where Presler helped flip key House seats and secure Trump’s victory. Presler has also promised a voter registration push at Edison’s upcoming December 11 council meeting, following controversy over an American flag ban that has since been reversed.
The first major test of Presler’s New Jersey efforts will come in next year’s governor’s race, where Republican businessman Jack Ciattarelli, who came within four points of unseating Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, is considered the GOP frontrunner.
Presler’s growing footprint in New Jersey signals a bold Republican strategy to reshape the state’s political landscape.