President Donald Trump on Monday night endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election, cementing the candidate’s status as the frontrunner to win the June 10 GOP primary.
Ciattarelli, a former New Jersey assemblyman who was the Republican nominee for the last New Jersey governor’s race in 2021, still faces a contested primary. Prior to the president’s endorsement, Ciattarelli’s internal polls from May and April showed he was leading his closest primary opponent, former radio host Bill Spadea, by 31 and 28 points respectively.
“Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100% (PLUS!),” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “He is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected Leaders in New Jersey and, as your next Governor, Jack Ciattarelli will work closely with me and the Trump Administration to advance our America First Agenda.”
“Jack Ciattarelli is a WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, ELECT JACK CIATTARELLI!”
Ciattarelli posted a statement in an X post, writing that it’s time to “unite” the Republican Party.
“Truly humbled and honored to receive President Trump’s very strong endorsement today,” the candidate wrote. “It’s time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again. When I’m Governor, we will.”
Trump had met with both Ciattarelli and Spadea at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club in March during which the two candidates made their case to receive his endorsement. While vying for the president’s backing, Spadea had tried to make the case that he was the true pro-Trump GOP candidate in the race, the New Jersey Globe reported.
Ciattarelli lost the 2021 gubernatorial race to incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy by a slim three-percentage-point margin, outperforming expectations.
The gubernatorial hopeful is emphasizing issues such as the cost of living, government reform, energy policy, protecting the 2nd Amendment, promoting education access and “advancing smart housing policy,” according to his campaign website. Ciattarelli said he plans to campaign with Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee in June, and told NBC News earlier this month what second-term Trump policies he supported most.
“I certainly support him 100% on what he doing with the border. We got to secure our nation,” Ciattarelli told the outlet. “And I know it’s going — he warned us about some short-term pain for the long-term gain. He’s trying to hit the reset button on the trade imbalance. The trade imbalance affects all of us, and that’s not an easy task.”
Spadea also released a statement following Ciattarelli’s endorsement, saying he will still fight for the “America First agenda,” holding true to his personal brand of a genuine Trump ally.
“Donald Trump’s endorsement comes after a years long effort by Jack to lie about his own record. My resolve to fight for the people of New Jersey has never been greater,” Spadea said. “I intend to continue fighting for the America First agenda because that is what’s best for the state and our nation.”
Spadea’s claim stretches back to 2015 when Ciattarelli criticized then-candidate Trump and claimed he was not fit to be president. However, like many other Republicans who had initially opposed Trump, including multiple key members of the president’s current administration, Ciattarelli grew to embrace him.
New Jersey has long been considered a Democratic stronghold, but in recent years has experienced a sharp trend to the right. Ciattarelli’s narrow 2021 loss came after Trump lost the state to President Joe Biden by 16 points just one year earlier.
In the 2024 election, Trump only lost New Jersey by six points, marking a ten-point swing in his favor from four years earlier.
Other competitors in the GOP primary race include former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, a self-proclaimed “forever Trumper” who received an endorsement from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. State Sen. Jon Bramnick, an anti-Trump Republican, is also in the race.
The winner of the Republican primary will take on the winner of the crowded Democratic primary, which is also scheduled to be held on June 10. Candidates vying for the Democratic nomination include Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Democratic New Jersey Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill, teachers union president Sean Spiller, and former state Senate president Stephen Sweeney. Murphy is term-limited and ineligible to run for reelection.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the gubernatorial race as “Lean D.”
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