Trump backs Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey’s Republican primary for governor

TRENTON N J AP President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey s GOP primary saying he s gone ALL IN on the Make America Great Again agenda Trump s endorsement came Monday in a Truth Social post and gives Ciattarelli s campaign a boost as he competes against two other Trump supporters and a state senator who has been critical of the president The president s endorsement and Ciattarelli s gratitude to Trump in a social media post of his own reflect the president s influence in the party even in Democratic-leaning New Jersey Trump s endorsement hinted at Ciattarelli s earlier criticism of Trump during his first run for the White House a decade ago when he disclosed Trump wasn t fit for the presidency Jack who after getting to know and understand MAGA has gone ALL IN and is now PLUS Trump reported in the Truth Social post Ciattarelli announced in a post on X that he was truly humbled and honored by the endorsement It s time to unite our party win big in November and make New Jersey affordable and safe again he mentioned Bill Spadea a former radio host who s also running in the June primary and has called for replicating the president s approach in New Jersey suggested the president was backing Ciattarelli because specific polling indicated he was in the lead Trump endorsed a poll not a plan he stated on X We have the only plan and core principles to restore common sense to New Jersey regime Trump s endorsement comes after he met earlier this year with Ciattarelli at his Bedminster New Jersey golf club Ciattarelli s campaign has explained it sought the president s endorsement and pointed to his performance in the referendum in which the president flipped former blue counties red New Jersey has been reliably Democratic in U S presidential and Senate elections But its odd-year gubernatorial contests have seesawed between Democrats and Republicans Democratic Gov Phil Murphy a two-term incumbent cannot seek a third-straight term under state law Democrats are also locked in competitive primary In addition to Ciattarelli and Spadea former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and state Sen Jon Bramnick are seeking their party s nomination Ciattarelli is an accountant and small business owner who served in the state Assembly and county office He ran unsuccessfully for governor in the previous two cycles In he came within a limited percentage points of defeating Murphy In he lost in the GOP primary to then-Lt Gov Kim Guadagno Source