NJ Gym that had license revoked by Dem. Gov. become GOP Campaign Spot

'Gov. Murphy turned this into a political chess game. And so what we said is 'checkmate, governor.''

The embattled New Jersey gym that had its business license revoked earlier this month after repeatedly defying Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's COVID-19 shutdown order has made what appears to be a nifty strategic move in response.

Frank Trumbetti and Ian Smith, co-owners of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, have partnered with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rik Mehta to turn the gym into an official campaign rally location, Fox News reported.

"We took a stand for our constitutional rights and for the rights of all small business owners throughout the country," Smith told "Fox & Friends Weekend" Sunday. "And it wasn't intended to become political. We were trying to offer a solution to a problem where the government was failing, and it turned political. And that was because of Gov. Murphy's actions. So now we made it political just as much as he has."

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