Trump, Epstein, and Alina Habba: Unraveling the Week’s Heated Political Drama in New Jersey
New Jersey—July 28, 2025
The political landscape in New Jersey continues to intensify as national controversies spill over into the Garden State. This week’s discussions are centered around gubernatorial running mates, Trump’s unusual legal maneuvers, the unrelenting Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and the sudden cancelation of Stephen Colbert’s show. Both Republican strategist Mike DuHaime and Democratic consultant Julie Roginsky weighed in on these stories in a political roundtable hosted by the Star-Ledger.
Jack Ciattarelli Taps Morris County Sheriff Jim Gannon as Running Mate
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli has selected Sheriff Jim Gannon from Morris County as his pick for lieutenant governor.
DuHaime praised the choice, highlighting Gannon’s popularity in Morris—a county that could be a pivotal battleground in the upcoming election. According to DuHaime, selecting a well-known law enforcement figure aligns with growing GOP support among working-class voters who tend to value public safety.
However, Roginsky stressed that the best lieutenant governor candidate should be an administrator, not a politician. She believed the post required technocratic governance, but she withheld judgment on Gannon’s abilities.
Mikie Sherrill Chooses Dale Caldwell for Her Ticket
On the Democratic side, Mikie Sherrill announced Dale Caldwell, president of Centenary University, as her lieutenant governor pick. Caldwell is the university’s first Black president, and he brings with him decades of experience in the classroom and in the community.
Roginsky had good things to say about Caldwell and called him one of the smartest and most careful politicians working today. DuHaime said that most people don’t know much about Caldwell, but he praised the choice as being different. He also said that opposition experts are probably already looking into what Caldwell wrote and how he ran the government in the past.
Alina Habba Reappointed as U.S. Attorney in Unusual Move
In a move that has never been done before, President Trump reappointed Alina Habba as temporary U.S. Attorney for New Jersey and gave her an extra 200 days to work in the job. A group of federal judges had turned down an extension of her original term, so this decision was made.
Roginsky said this could lead to a constitutional showdown because the president’s choice weakens the power of the courts and the public’s trust in law enforcement. She also said that the Supreme Court might have to step in if Trump keeps going against court decisions.
DuHaime disagreed and supported Trump’s attorney selection. Trump has few options because the Senate doesn’t approve these selections. He wasn’t surprised by Trump’s choice and said that the former president has always refused to follow what the courts say.
RNC Sues NJ Election Officials for Not Being Open and Honest
New Jersey’s Division of Elections is being sued by the Republican National Committee (RNC) because the RNC says the state is hiding important papers about voter rolls and voting machine audits.
Roginsky said the move was just another way for MAGA Republicans to try to call into question the fairness of elections they think they might lose. She said it was part of a bigger plan to change people’s minds about how fair voting is.
DuHaime said that the election system has some problems, but he stressed that New Jersey’s elections are usually safe. He said the RNC’s case was bad because it was based on Trump’s 2020 strategy, but he also said the state should be more open to keep people’s trust.
Trump Can’t Shake Off the Epstein Scandal
The release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files continues to stir public interest, especially among Trump’s MAGA base. As more details emerge about Trump’s past friendship with the disgraced financier, critics say the controversy is far from over.
Roginsky believes this issue could linger unless Trump creates a major distraction—potentially one that disrupts Americans’ everyday lives. She warned that Trump has a pattern of diverting attention when under pressure.
DuHaime said that this story might hit Trump harder than he thought, especially among his supporters who believe in conspiracies and used to see him as a hero who could stop these kinds of crimes. Many of these followers are now having trouble with the thought that Trump might be a part of the system they hate, he said.
Trump Shifts the Focus by Making Accusations Against Obama and Clinton
As a reaction to the Epstein news, Trump attacked former President Obama and Hillary Clinton again, calling them “traitors” and making his supporters call for their arrests even more.
Roginsky said this was just another failed attempt to avoid attention, since most Americans are still thinking about the Epstein affair. She also said that the media wasn’t doing enough to cover Trump’s authoritarian traits.
DuHaime said the claims were not true and that their only purpose is to keep people from focusing on Trump’s own problems. He said it was a last-ditch effort that would not be interesting to most people for long.
Stephen Colbert’s Show Was Canceled—Did Politics Play a Role?
It was rumored that political pressure played a part in CBS’s sudden decision to cancel Stephen Colbert’s late-night show this week. Paramount, the parent company of CBS, had been navigating a major merger, which some say required Trump’s approval.
Roginsky argued that Colbert’s criticism of Trump may have cost him his job. She suggested that this could be just the beginning, warning that other outspoken media voices may face similar fates.
DuHaime disagreed, attributing the cancellation to financial reasons. According to him, the show was no longer profitable, and viewer numbers had been declining.
This week’s political drama illustrates how deeply national issues continue to influence New Jersey’s political arena. From election integrity lawsuits to controversial reappointments and high-stakes running mate announcements, the political climate remains unpredictable.
As the election season heats up, one thing is clear—in New Jersey politics, the personal, the local, and the national are more connected than ever.
