Former President Donald Trump threw his political weight behind New Jersey’s Republican frontrunner, Jack Ciattarelli, ahead of the state’s pivotal gubernatorial primaries, marking a significant moment in a contest poised to influence national momentum heading into the 2026 midterms.
In a five-minute telephone rally on June 2, Trump praised Ciattarelli as the “most experienced and battle-tested” candidate to reclaim New Jersey from what he called the “blue horror show,” despite Ciattarelli’s history of sharp criticism of Trump during his 2015 and 2021 campaigns.
“Jack has what it takes to win,” Trump declared, citing Ciattarelli’s promises to cap property taxes at 1% and to crack down on illegal immigration. “He has my complete and total endorsement.”
Trump’s endorsement, first announced on his social media platform Truth Social in May, signals a strategic alliance between the former president and Ciattarelli—a onetime Trump skeptic who called Trump “a charlatan” and “not fit to be President” in 2015 but has since shifted toward embracing the MAGA platform.
New Jersey’s gubernatorial race is one of only two such contests on the ballot this November, positioning the Garden State as a key testing ground for party strength ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who narrowly defeated Ciattarelli in 2021 by just three percentage points after a 15-point victory in 2017, is term-limited, leaving an open seat that both parties are vying to fill.
Although New Jersey traditionally leans Democratic, recent elections have shown significant volatility. In 2024, then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by only six points—a marked decline from President Biden’s 16-point margin in 2020 against Trump. This trend underscores New Jersey’s potential to swing in either direction, making this year’s race closely watched at both state and national levels.
Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman and Somerset County commissioner now on his third gubernatorial bid, emerged as the clear Republican frontrunner even before securing Trump’s endorsement. A recent Emerson College/The Hill poll showed Ciattarelli with 44% support among GOP voters, far ahead of his main rival, former radio host Bill Spadea, who polled at 18%.
Spadea, a self-styled Trump loyalist, criticized the endorsement decision, highlighting Ciattarelli’s past rebukes of the former president. “Jack Ciattarelli did more than disagree with the president—he disrespected him,” Spadea said in a recent ad. “Me? I’ve been a supporter of President Trump since he came down the escalator.” Other GOP hopefuls include state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and Burlington County contractor Justin Barbera.
Trump’s focus, however, remained fixed on Democrats, accusing them of “crippling regulations,” “rampant corruption,” and empowering “radical teachers’ unions.” He cast Ciattarelli as the Republican best positioned to combat these issues and implement conservative priorities like cracking down on sanctuary cities. Ciattarelli, for his part, pledged to issue an executive order to end such cities’ non-cooperation with federal immigration enforcement on his first day in office.
The Democratic primary features a similarly crowded field, led by Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman and former Navy pilot known for her moderate stances. Sherrill has secured endorsements from prominent figures such as tennis legend Billie Jean King and the influential Democratic PAC EMILY’s List.
Her closest challengers include Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. Despite Sherrill’s frontrunner status, the race remains fluid, with polling showing her at 28% support and several rivals in double digits.
Campaign spending has soared in this year’s primary elections. According to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the 11 candidates collectively raised approximately $59 million and spent more than $43 million as of mid-May, smashing previous records for gubernatorial primary expenditures in the state.
With early voting opening June 3 and election day set for June 10, both parties are bracing for a heated battle that could offer a glimpse into voters’ sentiments heading into 2026. Trump’s endorsement is likely to galvanize Republican turnout but may also intensify divisions within the party between establishment figures and hardline Trump supporters.
Regardless of the primary outcomes, New Jersey’s gubernatorial contest is shaping up to be a highly competitive and nationally significant race, reflective of broader political trends and voter realignments that could reverberate well beyond the Garden State.
