Trenton, NJ – On May 12, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his “complete and total endorsement” of Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican frontrunner in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, in a bid to turn the traditionally blue state red. Trump’s endorsement, shared via a lengthy Truth Social post, comes ahead of the June 10 Republican primary, positioning Ciattarelli as the candidate to advance the “America First” agenda in a state where Trump narrowed the presidential vote gap to six points in 2024.
“Jack Ciattarelli is a terrific America First Candidate running to be the next Governor of a State that I love, NEW JERSEY!” Trump wrote, praising Ciattarelli’s alignment with MAGA principles after years of evolving from a vocal critic to a supporter. Trump highlighted Ciattarelli’s commitment to growing the economy, cutting taxes and regulations, securing the border, reducing migrant crime, supporting veterans, advancing American energy dominance, and defending the Second Amendment. He emphasized that Ciattarelli is “best positioned to stand tall against the Radical Left Democrats” and secure a “big victory” in an election he claims is being watched globally to end “WOKE” policies.
Ciattarelli, a 63-year-old former state assemblyman, responded on X, saying he was “truly humbled and honored” by Trump’s endorsement, vowing to “unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again.” The endorsement cements Ciattarelli’s lead in a crowded GOP primary, where he faces former radio host Bill Spadea, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, and lesser-known candidates Mario Kranjac and Justin Barbera. An April 2025 Rutgers-Eagleton poll showed Ciattarelli at 42% support, far ahead of Spadea’s 12%, a lead now solidified by Trump’s backing.
Ciattarelli’s journey with Trump has been rocky. In 2015, he called Trump a “charlatan” unfit for the presidency, but by 2020, he endorsed Trump’s reelection and attended a “Stop the Steal” rally, later claiming ignorance of its theme. Ciattarelli lost to Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021 by a narrow 48% to 51.2%, a race he believes he could have won with stronger Trump support. His 2025 campaign has focused on property tax relief, school curriculum reform, and business tax cuts, aligning with Trump’s economic priorities while navigating New Jersey’s moderate voter base.
Democrats quickly seized on the endorsement to paint Ciattarelli as a Trump loyalist. “This just confirms what we already knew: Jack Ciattarelli would put Donald Trump before New Jersey,” said Sam Newton of the New Jersey Democratic Governors Association. Six Democrats, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. Mikie Sherrill, are vying to replace the term-limited Murphy, with the primary winner facing Ciattarelli in November.
Spadea, who has cast himself as the “true Trump ally” and hosted Trump on his radio show in 2024, reacted bitterly, claiming Trump’s endorsement followed “a years-long effort by Jack to lie about his own record.” Spadea vowed to continue fighting for the “America First agenda,” noting that Trump’s endorsements in New Jersey haven’t always guaranteed victory—last year, Trump-backed Senate candidate Christine Serrano Glassner lost her primary.
New Jersey’s political landscape adds complexity. While Democrats outnumber Republicans—2.4 million to 1.6 million registered voters as of May 1, 2025—the state has a history of electing Republican governors after Democratic tenures, with the last GOP win in 2013 under Chris Christie. Trump’s 2024 performance, flipping five counties red, has fueled GOP optimism, but his influence remains a double-edged sword in a state with 2.4 million unaffiliated voters.
The endorsement underscores Trump’s broader strategy to leverage his political capital in state races, especially after recent controversies like Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s Newark Airport debacle and Trump’s reversal of Biden’s drug price caps. However, Ciattarelli must balance Trump’s polarizing presence with New Jersey’s moderate electorate, a challenge that could define his path to the governor’s mansion.
