'He was bragging about it': GOP insiders flag moment Trump lost key contest 'out of spite'

President Donald Trump shot his party in the foot with a move to punish New Jersey, analyst Jonathan Lemire told a panel of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday — mere weeks before an election in which his chosen candidate in the governor race, Jack Ciattarelli, took a severe drubbing to Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.

Trump continues to lick his wounds and publicly proclaim the Democrats' massive wins around the country were not his fault. But, Lemire said, there is one clear thing he did to make New Jersey voters angry, and GOP strategists were seeing it with their own eyes.

"Some of this was aresponse to Trump overreaction," said Lemire. "On the New Jersey race. I heardfrom two different operativeslast night, one Republican, oneDemocrat, who more or less saidthe same thing. One word:Gateway. The tunnel that Trumpkilled, the project that wouldhave helped—"

"He was bragging about it," cut in anchor Joe Scarborough. "Bragging about it two weeksbefore the election, braggingabout having a Darth Vader hand.He basically said, I killed thatproject."

"A tunnel that would havereally helped New Jerseyresidents commuting into NewYork City," said Lemire. "He killed it outof spite because he's angry at Charles Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries because of theshutdown. And they, Democrats,were who were very nervousabout this race and werefrankly, surprised by the margin of victory last night,said the Gateway Tunnel wassort of the turning point."

"Andthen, of course, on the otherside of that tunnel ... wehave New York City and we haveZohran Mamdani, with hisstunning victory here,defeating Andrew Cuomo handilyby nine or so points," he added. "And look,it's very clear that President Trump is going to use Mamdanias an excuse. I've been toldand reported and wrote about itlast night. They've kind ofheld off going after New YorkCity tunnel aside because theywanted to win. They're going togo after him now. We'll see ifthat's popular, though it hasnot been another when he's goneafter other cities."

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