Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) returned to the Garden State Tuesday.

The senator attended a fundraiser in Teaneck. Earlier Tuesday, he attended a town hall meeting in York, Pa., where he discussed his foreign policy experience and addressed the current situation between Russia and Georgia.

Sen. McCain's wife, Cindy McCain, was also in the state. She campaigned for her husband in Monmouth County, first stopping at a private home in Rumson for a fundraising luncheon. Tickets for the lunch cost $250 each. Then, Cindy McCain continued on to Red Bank, meeting and greeting voters at the Broadway Diner.

Teenagers eating at the diner were surprised to see Sen. McCain?s wife in their town. ?She just came down and sat and talked to us just casually and stuff, nice and cool,? Fair Haven resident Allyson Jablonski said. Managers at the diner said they were equally surprised, since they only found out about Cindy?s visit 20 minutes before she arrived.

After visiting the diner, Cindy McCain left to join her husband at the private fundraiser in Teaneck.

Cindy McCain?s campaign stop Tuesday was the first one she?s made without her husband, but the couple says they plan to make more separate visits in the future in order to reach out to more voters in a limited amount of time.

The McCains chose to hold their events in Jersey despite the fact that the last Republican hopeful to win in the Garden State was George Bush in 1988. Sen. McCain is looking to change that statistic. Recent polls have shown McCain trailing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) by as much as 14 percent. Reports also show that Obama has raised twice the amount of money McCain has in the Garden State ? a financial gap that McCain hopes to close with Tuesday?s fundraiser.

The event should help. More than 500 supporters were expected to show, and tickets for the fundraiser, held at the Marriott in Glenpointe, cost between $1,000 and $25,000 each. Cindy McCain seemed to think Tuesday?s events will make a difference. ?We haven?t written off New Jersey,? she said. ?This is a very important state ? we intend to be here quite a bit before the election.?

Broadway Diner guests who spoke with News 12 New Jersey appeared to be split between the candidates. One person said he would vote for McCain because he believes Obama has waffled on several issues. An Obama supporter said one of the reasons he is backing Obama is because McCain is too old to serve as president. However, many undecided voters did say they think McCain?s veteran status makes him better suited to handle the current conflict overseas.

Click here to see more of News 12 New Jersey?s coverage of Cindy McCain?s campaign

For additional footage of Cindy McCain talking with Red Bank voters, go to channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.