NJ Democratic strategist creates Hunt Republicans hashtag after shootings New Jerseyan Jim Devine is a self-described "masterful Democratic Party campaign strategist''

Bob Jordan , Nick Muscavage | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump: 'Thoughts, prayers' to shooting injured U.S. President Donald Trump continued to send "thoughts and prayers" Thursday to the critically wounded top GOP leader, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, and others injured in a shooting over 24 hours ago. (June 15)

Devine's online biography says he was the Democratic State Committee political director in 1992-93

Rahway resident Jim Devine, a self-described "masterful Democratic Party campaign strategist,'' created new #HuntRepublicans and #HuntRepublicanCongressmen Twitter hashtags after the shootings of Rep. Steve Scalise, R-LA, and three others.

"I think it speaks for itself," Devine said of the tweets Thursday. "Yesterday's events are the result of escalating rhetoric and vitriol that has been evident in our political system culminating with the election of our president and the chickens came home to roost, you know?"

The tweets were first reported by the MoreMonmouthMusings.net political blog, which also said Devine has Monmouth County connections going back to 2005, when he managed a Democratic Assembly campaign that was defeated by Republicans Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson.

Devine was also a political consultant for Billy Delgado's mayoral campaign in Perth Amboy in 2012.

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Devine's online biography says he was the Democratic State Committee political director in 1992-93 and was he was a U.S. Department of Commerce manager in 1989-90. He's also been a publisher of a chain of weekly newspapers, the biography says.

We are in a war with selfish, foolish & narcissistic rich people. Why is it a shock when things turn violent? #HuntRepublicanCongressmen — James Devine (@James_J_Devine) June 14, 2017

In 2002, Scalise was a speaker at the European-American Unity & Rights Organization (EURO), a group founded by David Duke. #HuntRepublicans — James Devine (@James_J_Devine) June 14, 2017

A spokesman for New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman John Currie said the organization "is in no way associated with Mr. Devine's hashtag.''

"We reject incitements to violence and deplore such sensationalism," said the spokesman, Matt Farrauto.

Devine in an interview said by using Republicans' gun-rights rhetoric, one could make the case that Scalise's shooter, James Hodgkinson, was utilizing his Second Amendment rights.

"Or Sen. Rand's charge that the Second Amendment wasn't so that people could hunt rabbits, it was so they could fight against a tyrannical government," he added. "Well, now that we have a tyrannical government, to use another Republican's words, James Hodgkinson is a citizen availing himself of his Second Amendment remedies."

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Bob Jordan bjordan@gannettnj.com