Joe Donlan, Ph.D.

The Constitution is clear: states run elections, not the federal government. New Jersey has administered safe, secure, and accessible voting for generations. Our vote-by-mail system works. Millions of New Jerseyans — Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated voters alike — rely on it. The president himself has cast ballots by mail. This order does nothing to strengthen election integrity and is designed to make it harder for eligible citizens to vote. Like everything Donald Trump gets involved in – from jobs to healthcare, to gas prices, a war with no plan, or even running our airports – he creates chaos and makes life harder for New Jerseyans. Let’s be clear: any problem with mail in ballots would be caused by Trump himself. I will take every action available to protect New Jerseyans fundamental voting rights.

🇺🇳🇮🇷 The Gulf's plan to force Hormuz open just hit a wall at the UN Russia, China, and France blocked Bahrain's Security Council resolution authorizing military force to reopen the Strait. Three veto-wielding powers said no to any language permitting the use of force. A vote is scheduled for Friday but the math hasn't changed. Macron called Trump's "just go take it" approach "unrealistic," warning it would expose any force to Iranian coastal weapons and ballistic missiles. The most devastating line came from the International Crisis Group: "It treats a political crisis as if it can be solved at gunpoint." The Strait was open before the bombs fell. It closed because of the war. Ending the war reopens it. Everything else is theater. The deeper damage is in the relationships. Qatar and Oman, who mediated between the U.S. and Iran for years, now say ties with Tehran are "probably irreparably damaged." They've handed the mediator role to Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt entirely. Saudi Arabia, which restored diplomatic relations with Iran just three years ago through a China-brokered deal, is now leading the charge against it at the UN. Source: New York Times