Monmouth Republicans call for Murphy to reopen by May 15th, say Jersey Shore can’t survive another summer

Phil Stilton

New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said his city will fully reopen businesses by July 1st. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said his state will lift most of its COVID-19 business restrictions by May 19th and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the COVID-19 restrictions against indoor dining in his state will be lifted by May 31st.

As more Americans become vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, many other states are scaling back their restrictions against small businesses, some opening fully.

In New Jersey, despite a very successful vaccination effort that has vaccinated more than half of the state’s adult populaton. has said just recently, Governor Phil Murphy said, “We’re not there yet.”

Murphy and Democrats have indicated repeatedly that they are not ready to allow private businesses and restaurants to reopen at 100% capacity yet. The state has among the toughest restrictions imposed upon businesses in the entire country, but few in political office are willing to challenge the governor openly in public. The Democrats hold a super majority in New Jersey politics. The Democrat party controls the New Jersey Assembly and the Senate. They also hold the governor’s seat.


Rank and file Democrats in the Garden State know it’s not a good idea to go against “Gov”. Bad things happen to those who do. The Republicans in Trenton don’t have any power to stop Murphy or the Democrats in Trenton because they are outnumbered.


In Monmouth County, three women running for state office are echoing a growing call for Phil Murphy to reopen New Jersey by May 15th. They are following the lead of New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli who called for Murphy to end the restrictions against small businesses and to reopen the state.

“In March 2020, Governor Murphy declared a State of Emergency and invoked his executive powers. Fourteen months later, he is still ruling by executive order and our school children, small businesses, and state economy are still suffering,” Ciattarelli said.

Now, Lori Annetta, Marilyn Piperno and Kim Eulner have joined the call to stop the shut down on May 15th. The three are running against Trenton Democrats Vin Gopal, Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling in November in an attempt to retake the New Jersey 11th Legislative District away from Murphy’s Democrat minions.

“We couldn’t agree more with our gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli,” the three Republican women said. “Our business can begin to safely reopen. Another summer of restrictions will destroy our main streets in towns like Asbury Park and Long Branch.”

Murphy and the Democrats fired back at the plan to reopen indoor dining and bars in the state, claiming the candidate is not following the science.

“Jack Ciattarelli’s anti-science views and continued politicization of COVID-19 are downright dangerous,Murphy’s campaign team said on Wednesday. “As New Jersey emerges from the pandemic, it’s critical that we’re led by someone who puts public health above politics and makes decisions backed by science, and Assemblyman Ciattarelli is neither.”

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