On a Wednesday in late October, the two candidates vying to become New Jersey’s next governor are wearing out the state’s Springsteen-sanctified highways in a tight race that’s being watched across the country as a harbinger of next year’s midterms—and as a referendum on President Donald Trump.

In Red Bank, the Republican candidate, Jack Ciattarelli, is making the third of today’s five stops, part of his “Diner Tour,” though this location is more of an upscale bar and restaurant. The place is packed with a surprisingly boozy crowd for a midweek afternoon. Ciattarelli largely owes his status as the nominee to his loyalty to Trump. Yet the president’s approval rating in New Jersey is just 36% . So does Ciattarelli want Trump to come to the state and campaign in the final days of the

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