We sit down with budget analyst Audrey Lane for a deep dive into New Jersey’s financial mess. She walks through the structural issues, the political pressures, and the long-term consequences of ignoring the numbers. If you want to understand what’s really driving the crisis, this conversation lays it out plainly.

Join Jack Brangan and Constance Ditzel on New Jersey Statehouse Watch for a strategic conversation with Chris Russell, co-founder of Checkmate Strategies and a leading Republican political consultant in the Northeast.

With decades of experience in direct mail, communications, and campaign management, Russell shares hard-won lessons from high-stakes races — including his role advising Jack Ciattarelli’s 2021 gubernatorial bid and helping Congressman Mike Lawler flip and defend a difficult House seat in New York.

Russell discusses the critical need for Republican unity, effective messaging, and what it really takes to compete and win in blue-state territory like New Jersey. A must-listen for conservatives focused on real change in Trenton and beyond!

Assemblyman Brian Bergen (LD-26) joins Jack Brangan and Constance Ditze to expose how Trenton Democrats continue to burden small businesses with overregulation, mandates, and gimmick bills like the “Soda Pop Bill.”

They discuss the ABC test threatening independent contractors, sky-high corporate taxes driving businesses away, the $300M Prudential Center tax credits, and the World Cup ticket fiasco favoring New York over New Jersey residents.

A must-listen from a legislator and small business owner.

New episodes: 2nd & 4th Tuesday monthly.#NJPolitics #SmallBusiness #BrianBergen

Episode 4 of New Jersey State House Watch, Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn breaks down New Jersey’s broken school funding formula. We expose how the current system drives massive property tax increases, staff layoffs, and program cuts in suburban and rural districts while pouring billions into urban systems with little accountability. From S2 formula failures to expiring federal aid, this episode reveals the unfairness and lack of transparency hurting families and taxpayers statewide. Must-listen for anyone fighting for fair funding and real reform.

New Jersey State House Watch – April 28, 2026

Guest: Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (LD 24)

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia — lifelong educator, former Teacher of the Year, and straight-talking legislator — joins Jack Brangan and Constance Ditzel for a hard-hitting look at New Jersey’s crises.

In this episode:• The dangerous fallout from sanctuary state policies• The broken school funding formula driving teacher layoffs, program cuts, and exploding property taxes• Governor Sherrill’s first 100 days and Trenton’s budget chaos

Dawn brings real-world experience from the classroom to Trenton and doesn’t hold back on solutions.

A must-listen for every NJ taxpayer and parent.

🎧 Watch/listen now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & more🌐 njstatehousewatch.com

Follow: @DawnFantasia_NJ & @jxbran99

#NJPolitics #DawnFantasia #SanctuaryState #SchoolFunding #NJBudget #PropertyTaxes

Recent developments in New Jersey are raising important questions about who determines the childhood vaccine schedule. This episode of Dramatic Changes in NJ analyzes legislative efforts, policy shifts, and the broader implications for families and public health in the state.

New Jersey is moving toward becoming a national center for abortion services. In this episode, we examine four new laws driving that shift—what they say, how they work, and what they mean for the state going forward.

In this episode of New Jersey Statehouse Watch, hosts Jack Brangan and Constance Ditzel examine four immigration-related bills recently passed by the New Jersey Legislature and now heading to Governor Mikie Sherrill’s desk for consideration.

These bills were introduced and advanced by Democratic lawmakers and could significantly affect how immigration policies are handled in New Jersey.

Important point: these measures are not law yet.
They are awaiting the governor’s decision — whether to sign them, veto them, or allow them to become law.

In this episode, we break down:

• What each of the four bills proposes
• How they moved through the Legislature
• What supporters say the bills will accomplish
• Concerns raised by critics
• What happens next before any of these measures could take effect

New Jersey Statehouse Watch focuses on explaining legislation before it becomes law, helping residents understand what is happening inside the State House in Trenton.

Watch live and learn more at
NJStatehouseWatch.com

New Jersey Statehouse Watch is your front-row seat to what’s really happening inside the New Jersey Legislature in Trenton — without the spin, the slogans, or the soundbites.

Every year, thousands of bills move quietly through the State House. Most are never explained. Many are barely covered. Some have a direct impact on your taxes, your schools, your community, your business, and your personal freedoms — yet they pass with little public attention. New Jersey Statehouse Watch exists to change that.

This podcast is dedicated to tracking, explaining, and breaking down legislation as it moves through the New Jersey Assembly and Senate. We follow bills from introduction to committee, through amendments, floor votes, and — when applicable — to the Governor’s desk. We don’t just tell you what passed; we explain what the bill actually does, who sponsored it, who voted for it, who opposed it, and how it affects New Jersey residents in the real world.

Trenton can feel distant and opaque by design. Legislative language is dense. Procedures are confusing. Timelines are easy to miss. We do the watching, the reading, and the tracking — so you don’t have to.

Each episode focuses on:
• Bills currently moving through the Legislature
• Committee activity and key hearings
• Amendments that change the substance of legislation
• Floor votes and voting records
• Executive action and the Governor’s role
• How state policies intersect with federal law and local government
• The long-term consequences of short-term decisions

We believe an informed public is essential to a functioning democracy. That means replacing talking points with facts, replacing headlines with substance, and replacing confusion with clarity. Our goal is not to tell you what to think — it’s to make sure you have the information needed to decide for yourself.

New Jersey Statehouse Watch also features conversations with lawmakers, policy experts, advocates, and informed voices from across the state. We ask direct questions, press for clear answers, and focus on accountability — regardless of party or political label.

If you care about:
• How laws are made in New Jersey
• Transparency in government
• Accountability for elected officials
• Understanding legislation before it becomes law
• Knowing what Trenton is doing in your name

— then this podcast is for you.

New Jersey Statehouse Watch doesn’t chase outrage or clicks. We track the process, explain the substance, and shine a light on decisions that too often happen out of public view.

We watch the State House.
We follow the bills.
So you don’t have to.

Welcome to New Jersey Statehouse Watch.