Things are looking potentially quite good for Republicans in New Jersey, where the state’s gubernatorial race is pitting a woke Democrat against a pro-Trump, Republican businessman named Jack Ciatarelli. Despite New Jersey’s long years of Democratic dominance, Ciatarelli appears to be nipping at the Democrat’s heels, and potentially able to come out on top.
As background, Ciattarelli is a businessman and former member of the New Jersey state assembly, and this is his third time running in the state’s gubernatorial election. He also ran in both 2017 and 2021, and in the latter election came just three points shy of toppling the incumbent governor, Phil Murphy.
Now, however, Ciattarelli appears to be neck in neck with Gov. Murphy’s replacement, Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), a member of the US Congress who is trying to keep the state blue. In fact, the race appears to be essentially a dead heat, mimicking the massive swing toward Trump the Garden State saw in the 2024 election, when Trump went from losing it by double-digit margins in 2016 and 2020 to being just a few points behind Kamala Harris.
Such is what polling conducted by Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill shows, as Trending Politics News reports, finding that both Ciattarelli and Sherrill are currently tied in the race and hold 43% support apiece. That leaves a not insignificant 14% of the electorate that is either unsure who to support or that currently supports someone else.
Ciattarelli is, in fact, doing well enough that President Donald Trump has commented on it in a post on Truth Social, noting that the Republican gubernatorial candidate is rising in the polls and looks to have a significant chance of turning the longtime Democrat stronghold into a red state, something that could signal very good news for the 2026 midterms.
Commenting on the matter, President Trump first noted that the poll shows Ciattarelli to be within striking distance of defeating the terrible Democratic candidate, saying, “Wow!!! A just out poll has Jack Ciattarelli essentially beating close to incompetent Mike Sherrill in the race for Governor of New Jersey.”
Contrasting the Republican candidate’s objectives, both of which are very common sense and popular, with the delusional commitments of the far-left candidate, President Trump then said, “Jack is tough on crime and cutting taxes, two things that people really demand today. He will be a GREAT Governor, and Sherrill wants Open Borders (again!), men playing in Women’s Sports, Transgender for everyone, and all of the things that almost DESTROYED America.”
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Concluding, President Trump connected Sherrill to Zohran Mamdani, the far-left mayoral candidate in New York City who many argue is a radical socialist who will destroy the great American city. He said, “She is a big supporter of the perhaps future Communist Mayor of New York City! We need Jack in New Jersey!!! President DJT”
Ciattarelli is even doing well enough that some Democrats have started switching sides and coming over into his camp. Amongst those who did so was Garfield, New Jersey Mayor Everett E. Garnto, Jr., who announced in early September that he is switching parties and throwing his support behind the GOP and its candidate.
Mayor Garnto said, “For the last seven and a half years, [Gov.] Phil Murphy’s policies have left us with sky-high taxes, soaring electric bills, and less safe communities.” He then added, backing the Republican gubernatorial candidate, “New Jerseyans deserve better. Jack Ciattarelli is ready to turn this state around.”
Watch footage from the event where he announced as much here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video