CLIFTON, NJ — New Jersey Democratic Party Chairman LeRoy Jones, Jr. openly admitted that the Garden State is a “battleground state” now, while stumping with Rep. Mikie Sherrill , as polls show her in a dead heat with Republican Jack Ciattarelli . “Thank you so much for joining us here in New Jersey, the epicenter of our democracy, because this is a battleground state,” he proclaimed, kicking off a speech that centered largely on national politics rather than state issues. “Let me tell you this,