JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="http://dev.iceburg.net/jquery/jqModal/jqModal.js"></script>
<p class="right blackout">
    <a href="/passcheck" data-remote="true">Blank</a>
</p>

<p class="blackoutwindow">MODAL WINDOW</p>

CSS

.blackoutwindow {
    display: none;
}

JavaScript

$(document).ready( function() {
    $(document).on('click', '.blackout a', function(e) {
        e.preventDefault();
        alert('Initial handling'); // will not appear, this is the problem
    });
    
    $('.blackoutwindow').jqm({
        modal: true,
        onShow: function() {
            alert('calling /passcheck'); //will be called
            $.get($(this).attr('href'));
        },
        trigger: '.blackout',
        overlay: 100
    });
});