Sen.-elect Ed Durr, the New Jersey Republican truck driver who defeated Democrat Senate President Steve Sweeney in a shocking upset in last week’s election, told Breitbart News Saturday he will be “dangerous” to Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) policies and predicted that “there is going to be a stronger [red] wave coming” in 2022.
Durr, who rose to political stardom after defeating Sweeney, spoke about his campaign and emphasized it “wasn’t about me” but the people who have had their rights “trampled upon over the course of the last two years.”
New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney pauses to take questions from members of the media during a news conference in Trenton, New Jersey, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 (AP Photo/Matt Rourke).
“It has gotten to the point that the people have stepped up and said enough is enough,” he said, detailing his background as a truck driver and describing himself as a “regular guy” who wanted to make a difference.
“As far as the money goes, yes. They keep saying $153. That was primary money that was spent prior to the primary,” he said, briefly addressing the infamous reports of him spending $153 on his pre-primary campaign.
“You have filing dates when you run for office and how much you take in, and that was how much I spent prior to the primary. After the primary I spent in the area of about $6,500 to $7,500,” he said explaining that while people say that is not a lot of money, it is a lot for everyday working people.
His campaign strategy, he explained, involved meeting face to face with people — going to rallies, shaking hands, and listening to people’s concerns.
“You have to listen to what they are feeling,” he said. “That is the only way you’re going to know what’s important.”
“So I was listening more. That’s the problem with your longtime career politicians. They just want to talk talk talk about themselves and not hear the people’s voice,” he said.
While Durr said people in New Jersey are often concerned with issues such as high taxes, people were more concerned with their “inalienable rights that were being trampled upon” this time around.
“You were told that you couldn’t have your job because of COVID-19. You were told that you couldn’t go to the store,” he said, recalling how mom and pop shops were shut down while big-box retailers remained open. All the while, people were told they could not gather for worship at religious institutions.
“These are rights that are given to you by God, not by man, and man cannot take them away from you,” he said, noting that the people made it clear “they were angry.” So more than anything, Durr said, he encouraged them to vote, telling them, “Vote if you want your voice heard.”
“We need to build an army because this is a fight. You must have an army to fight back because ultimately, we are fighting what they are trying to drive forth, and we will not let that happen,” he explained.
When asked to describe his message to New Jersey Gov. Murphy (D), who survived reelection, Durr issued a stark warning.
“Gov. Murphy has to know, he’s referred to me as dangerous. Well, I will be dangerous to Gov. Murphy. I will be dangerous to his policies. If he continues to try to trample upon the citizens’ rights and continue to harm them — my personal belief is his actions resulted in the death of nearly 8,000-10,000 elderly in the nursing homes,” Durr said.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy talks to reporters after voting in Red Bank, New Jersey, Tuesday, June 8, 2021 (AP Photo/Seth Wenig).
“So, yes, I am going to be dangerous, and I’m going to fight him because that’s what the people elected me to do,” he said, adding that he will be “happy” to help Murphy if he truly wants a better New Jersey. But Durr warned he is “not going to bow down and allow him to continue to hurt the citizens of New Jersey.”
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