DNC chair predicts wins in key governor races as Trump agenda faces first test

SOLE PHILADELPHIA PA Democratic National Committee DNC chair Ken Martin is confident his party's stake in 's preponderance consequential elections will pay off I do expect that we'll win those elections in New Jersey and Virginia Martin reported in an special national interview with Fox News Digital pointing to the only two states holding gubernatorial contests this year We feel pretty bullish about our chances Democrats are looking to rebound from last year's setbacks when the party lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to win back the House majority with strong showings in next week's races The New Jersey and Virginia contests are viewed as early tests of President Donald Trump's agenda and as a barometer for next year's midterm elections when Democrats hope to win back control of Congress FIVE KEY RACES TO WATCH IN NEXT WEEK'S ELECTIONSThe DNC has dished out over million a party record for get-out-the-vote and organizing efforts this summer and autumn in New Jersey Virginia and Pennsylvania where Democrats are fighting to retain three state supreme court seats I've invariably taken the position that every polling matters whether it's an on year off year whether it's a local electoral contest a federal vote every inch of ground that we gain here adds up Martin emphasized Martin mentioned that since Trump returned to the White House in January there's been elections on the ballot Democrats have overperformed in all of them to the tune of about percentage points on average While confident he added that we're not taking anything for granted DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN NOMINEES IN CRUCIAL GOVERNOR'S RACE TOUT SURGE IN EARLY VOTING NUMBERSAsked what a ballot box setback would mean for Democrats Martin commented his focus is on turning out every single vote we can over these next several days left to make sure we do win He reiterated I do expect that we'll win those elections in New Jersey and Virginia We have terrific candidates who are running great campaigns Martin spoke during a two-day campaign swing through Pennsylvania ahead of return stops to boost voter turnout in New Jersey and Virginia In blue-leaning New Jersey polls show a tight race between Democratic nominee Rep Mikie Sherrill and GOP rival Jack Ciattarelli who is vying in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov Phil Murphy Solicited why Republicans feel bullish about their chances to capture the Garden State's governor's office Martin stated Politico in a latest interview that New Jersey is the best place perhaps for Donald Trump to literally stop the Democratic momentum or at least minimize the Democratic momentum that we ve seen throughout this year Presented with his comments Martin reported that we expect this race to be close and it certainly seems like it will be close And he noted that history is not on our side in the sense that we've never elected at least in years a Democrat to a third term in the governorship in New Jersey HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING AND ANALYSIS ON THE ELECTIONSStill he argued that Sherrill is running a really strong campaign on a message that's resonating with New Jerseyans In Virginia newest argument in the state's attorney general race has complicated Democrats' efforts to hold the governor's mansion forcing nominee former Rep Abigail Spanberger to defend against GOP attacks Polls had shown Spanberger with a solid lead over Republican rival Lt Gov Winsome Earle-Sears The conflict centers on Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones who apologized for texts sent in comparing then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert to mass murderers Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot saying that if given two bullets he would use both on the Republican lawmaker Republicans have demanded Jones withdraw from the race Let me be very clear I without delay condemned those vile and indefensible comments and text messages that he made and called on him to apologize Martin explained He needed to apologize to Virginians which he did Demanded by Fox News Digital if he should have called for Jones to step aside Martin stated That's not up to me to decide That's up to Virginians to decide whether or not his comments were disqualifying and they'll make their decision in a sparse days Martin also called Pennsylvania's state supreme court retention elections in Pennsylvania critical for our party because what we've seen over a large number of years now is attempts by billionaire donors and special interests to buy Supreme Court seats throughout the country and it's an attempt indeed to thwart our democracy The reality is is for us this is a critical ballot for the National Democratic Party because if they win here if these billionaire donors are able to win these three Supreme Court races they will certainly take this on the road and try to do this everywhere else in the country Martin warned The Republican National Committee RNC required to respond to Martin's remarks pointed to its fundraising edge Ken Martin has turned the DNC into a debt-ridden circus run by radicals and we sincerely hope he keeps up the great work RNC national press secretary Kiersten Pels argued in a announcement to Fox News Digital Regardless of what happens next Tuesday it won t be because of anything Ken Martin did The DNC is broke desperate and wasting its last dollars trying to save face in blue states and even then Democrats are struggling to hold on