Moderate Dem accused of trying to 'confuse' GOP primary voters with mailers tying candidate to Trump

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A moderate House Democrat in New Jersey was accused of trying to "confuse" Republican primary voters with mailers tying a GOP candidate to former President Trump.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s, D-N.J., campaign sent mailers to Republican voters highlighting Republican candidate Frank Pallotta’s 2020 endorsement from Trump.

Trump has yet to endorse a Republican candidate in the 2022 primary race for New Jersey’s Fifth District.

MARINE VETERAN DE GREGORIO LAUNCHES GOP CHALLENGE AGAINST DEMOCRATIC REP. GOTTHEIMER IN NJ

Rep. Josh Gottheimer arrives for a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus at the Capitol on Oct. 1, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"Frank Pallotta is too much like Trump," the mailer selling Gottheimer as a "problem solver" looking to find "commonsense, bipartisan solutions" reads. "Josh Gottheimer fights for Jersey families."

Gottheimer campaign mailer sent to Republicans in New Jersey.

Gottheimer campaign mailer sent to Republicans in New Jersey.

New Jersey Republican Party executive director Tom Szymanski torched Gottheimer over the mailers in a Monday statement to Fox News Digital.

"The fact that Josh Gottheimer feels the need to spend tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, to try putting his thumb on the scale of the opposing party’s primary speaks volumes about how desperate he is given his track record of loyally supporting Joe Biden’s anti-energy and inflationary spending policies," Szymanski said.

"No amount of meddling or money spent will save Gottheimer from the voters this November," he added.

GOP front-runner and Marine Corps. veteran Nick De Gregorio said it "is clear who Josh Gottheimer wants to win this Republican primary – and it’s not the guy who served his country in four tours overseas and is now calling on him and others to sell off their stock portfolios to clean up Washington."

GOP front-runner Nick De Gregorio at a debate. (De Gregiorio campaign)

"For years, Democrats like Josh Gottheimer talked ad nauseam about Russian interference in our elections," De Gregorio said. "Now Josh, who consistently presents himself as a bipartisan, common sense Democrat who’s above the fray, is using liberal special interest money to wage his own Putin-style disinformation campaign to confuse Republican primary voters about who the true conservative leader in this race is."

"It’s dead wrong – and if Josh is the statesman he claims to be, he will immediately stop any spending in the CD5 Republican primary," he added, calling on Pallotta "to immediately disavow Gottheimer’s attempt to put his thumb on the scale in this race."

"Josh is running scared with good reason. He knows that the cost of food and gas, along with the Biden administration’s abject failure to secure the border and support our cops is indefensible here," De Gregorio said. "But here’s a message for you, Josh, man-to-man: I will never stop fighting for the future of this country against gutless cowards like you."

Rep. Josh Gottheimer speaks during a press conference with fellow House Democrats on April 6, 2022.  (Marisa Schultz/Fox News)

Gottheimer isn’t the only Democrat who appears to be throwing up primary smokescreens trying to tie Republicans to Trump – the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race is seeing television ads from the presumptive Democrat nominee, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, targeting GOP state Sen. Doug Mastriano as "one of Donald Trump’s strongest supporters."

"He wants to end vote by mail and he led the fight to audit the 2020 election," the TV ad says. "If Mastriano wins, it’s a win for what Donald Trump stands for."

The ads targeting Mastriano spurred many to think that he was the Republican Shapiro wants to run against.

Gottheimer’s mailers are already having the same effect in New Jersey, predicting the Garden State Democrat wants a rematch against Pallotta, his 2020 opponent.

Pallotta lost to Gottheimer by seven points last election, but those seven points could be in play come this year’s midterm elections as the national attitude toward Democrats sours.

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Many are theorizing the 2022 midterm elections will see major Republican gains, meaning Gottheimer is in for a challenge against whoever gets the GOP nomination.

Pallotta told Fox News Digital in a Tuesday statement that "Josh Gottheimer has been a rubber stamp for Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi for years."

"He is running scared and spending his $13 million early, knowing that I am going to win the primary," Pallotta said. "Nick De Gregorio is woefully behind in the polls. That is why he is lying and spinning stories about what has become increasingly obvious — that he doesn't have the support he needs across the District to win."

"He has already refused to take public positions on any issue, and has declined three in-person debates in his own County," he continued. "Now, like the Democrat Party, Nick has chosen to fabricate a story to divert attention from his inexperience and terrible polling numbers."

Pallotta said that voters "won't be fooled" and that they "understand that runaway inflation, rising crime, and open borders need to be addressed and someone with real business experience is the person to do it."

"Backroom deals can only carry Nick so far," Pallotta added.

Gottheimer’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.