The Moderate Party is a minor third party in New Jersey made of centrist former members of the Republican Party, claiming that the party has shifted too far right following the election of Donald Trump in 2016 and the storming of the capital on January 6. Foundation The party was founded in the summer of 2022 in preparation for the election of that year. The party was co-founded by Rick Wolfe, former Republican mayor of East Amwell Township and Michelle Garay, former Republican mayor of Alexandria Township with Wolfe going on to be the party's spokesman and Garay the chairwoman. After the foundation of the party, Wolfe stated in interviews that the intention of the party was to "save (the Republican Party) from extremism" and that the party consisted of both Republicans and Democrats who are tired of political bickering and deadlock. Wolfe claims that New Jerseyites want candidates who will support their communities and values and not participate in a larger nationwide culture war. Fusion voting The centerpiece of the party's aspirations is the restoration of the practice of fusion voting in New Jersey, and eventually implement the practice nationally. The practice would allow a candidate to appear on a ballot multiple times for multiple parties allowing for voters to vote for a candidate even if they disagree with their party's nationwide affiliation. The practice was made legal in the state in 1911 under the direction of then Governor Woodrow Wilson but the practice was outlawed in a series of laws passed in 1921 and 1922. Lee Drutman of New America stated that restoring fusion voting in New Jersey would allow voters to signal they want their representative to be compromise with the opposition. However, lawsuits to restore the practice have been defeated in the New Jersey court systems thrice, once in 1997 by the New Jersey Conservative Party, another time in 1999 by a joint lawsuit by both the Green Party of New Jersey and New Jersey Libertarian Party and a third time in 2001 from a lawsuit by private citizens. The party hopes that by bringing back fusion voting that it would incentivize voters to vote with their conscience more so than party affiliation, and allow Democrats to vote for centrist Republicans, and Republicans to vote for centrist Democrats, without having to vote for the opposing party directly. Unfortunately for the party, their attempts to restore the