Ciattarelli’s Final Push: A Close New Jersey Governor’s Race
With under two weeks to go until Election Day in New Jersey, the governor’s race has tightened and Republican momentum is palpable across diner stops and campaign events. “Early voting starts this Saturday. We turn out, we win. Let’s finish strong,” Ciattarelli told supporters at a packed diner in this small city in north-central New Jersey. The GOP nominee is banking on turnout and a message that plays to voters tired of the status quo.
Ciattarelli hit multiple diners Wednesday, joined by Rep. Byron Donalds as he tried to stoke Republican enthusiasm in the Garden State. “Jack’s been running a great campaign. I’ve been watching it from down in the Sunshine State. But it’s about winning. We got to help everybody get across the line,” Donalds said in a joint interview. The visit was part policy pitch and part get-out-the-vote push.
This is Ciattarelli’s third straight run for governor, and he argues the outcome feels different than four years ago. “Because of the closeness of that race in ’21, people are paying closer attention this time around,” Ciattarelli said. He’s using that closeness as proof the race can be flipped.
Recent polls from major outlets show margins tightening between Ciattarelli and Rep. Mikie Sherrill as Democrats work to defend an open seat. “I think we’re in a great position,” Ciattarelli emphasized. ” As you know, many of these polls have a dead heat. And that’s in a state in which Republicans typically under poll because we are the minority party. And when you have the endorsement of Democratic mayors across the state, it says people want change. That’s exactly what we’re going to deliver when we win this race.”
Donalds argued New Jersey voters care about results, not headlines, and said the party should focus on getting people to the polls. “It’s about New Jersey and making sure that the people of the Garden State get out and vote. That’s all that matters right now.” Local GOP organizers say mobilizing quiet Trump supporters is the path to victory this cycle.
Ciattarelli has drawn high-profile surrogates to the state, including recent visits from other MAGA-aligned figures, meant to energize the base. “A lot of Trump voters do not vote for anybody else, so getting guys out that they like will get them out to vote,” former Rahway GOP chairman Patrick Cassio said. “Four years ago, 400,000 Republicans didn’t vote. So, think about that. He picks up half of that, he wins. The math is pretty simple,” Cassio said.
Democrats seized on those visits to paint Ciattarelli as beholden to the most extreme elements of his party. “Jack Ciattarelli is ramping up his outreach to the furthest MAGA fringes, this time with Byron Donalds — who doesn’t think people need health insurance and wants a 6-week abortion ban. With two weeks to go until Election Day, Jack’s choice to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him tells you everything you need to know about why he couldn’t be more wrong for New Jersey,” New Jersey Democratic State Committee spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki charged in a statement.
The debate stage fueled those attacks, with Sherrill accusing Ciattarelli of cozying up to the president. She said he had “shown zero signs of standing up to this president. In fact, the president himself called Jack 100% MAGA, and he’s shown every sign of being that.” Ciattarelli pushed back by framing his movement as rooted in state concerns, calling himself “part of a New Jersey movement.”
When asked to grade the president’s second term, Ciattarelli gave a glowing review and made that endorsement clear. “I’d certainly give the president an A. I think he’s right about everything that he’s doing.” Sherrill fired back on the campaign trail: “I think that tells us all we need to know about who Jack Ciattarelli’s supporting. I give him an F right now,” Sherrill responded, as she pointed to New Jersey’s high cost of living.
Donalds dismissed the Democrat attack plan as a losing tactic and urged voters to focus on results on border security and the economy. “I think that’s a stupid strategy,” Donalds said. “Let me tell you why. He secured the border. That’s what the American people want, even people in New Jersey. He’s done that. Our economy is sound and getting better every single day. That’s what all Americans want.”
Sherrill has countered with heavy hitters at her side, and Democrats are pouring money and star power into the closing days. “This November will set the tone for years to come, and it’s our moment to show Donald Trump and the Republicans that their time in power is coming to an end,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. Both campaigns are sprinting to the finish and the state will decide which direction it wants to take.
