Jack Ciattarelli secures the Republican nomination for New Jersey governor

3-minute read

Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com

Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli secured the Republican nomination for New Jersey governor shortly after the polls closed in the June 10 primary.

While the results will not be official until later this month, Ciattarelli was declared the victor by the Associated Press and the Washington Post at about 8:17 p.m.

There were hundreds gathered at Ciattarelli’s party at Bell Works in Holmdel well before the polls closed.

Ciattarelli took the stage after rousing speeches from Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, who also serves as the county Republican chairman, and his daughter, Alexa, at about 9:15 p.m.

He noted that he won all 21 counties and said he’s “not done” before thanking President Donald Trump and said the “best days” are still ahead.

Ciattarelli said there was time to celebrate on election night, but “tomorrow we get back to work.”

The former assemblyman said the Democratic Party is focused more on pronouns than property taxes and said “a vote for Mikie Sherrill is a vote for another four years of Phil Murphy”

He called himself a common sense Jersey guy and said the state needs an attorney general that backs parents and gets rid of sanctuary cities.

"If this campaign were a drinking game and you took a shot every time Mikie Sherrill says Trump, you’re going to be drunk off your ass … every day between now and Nov. 4,” Ciattarelli said before going on to say he truly believes the “future of our state hangs in the balance.”

Ciattarelli closed by saying he didn’t want to be president or a senator or write a book, but wants to focus on achieving the American Dream for the people of New Jersey.

With 95% of votes counted June 11, Ciattarelli had 308,505 votes, former radio personality Bill Spadea had 99,456 and state Sen. Jon Bramnick had 28,121.

Trump endorsement helped secure victory

New Jersey Republican primary winner Jack Ciattarelli speaks to supporters gathered at Bell Works in Holmdel Tuesday night, June 10, 2025.

Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost to Murphy, the incumbent, back in 2021, all but secured the nomination a few weeks ago when Trump endorsed him in a social media post.

In the post, Trump said the former assemblyman is a “terrific America first candidate.”

“Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100%," Trump wrote, seemingly acknowledging that Ciattarelli initially called the president a "charlatan" in 2015.

Ciattarelli later endorsed Trump and, in 2020, the former New Jersey Assemblyman spoke at a "Stop the Steal" rally promoting the false conspiracy theory that voter fraud put Democrat Joe Biden in office. Ciattarelli has never publicly endorsed that view.

Ciattarelli's third campaign for New Jersey governor

After losing to Murphy in 2021, the Republican said he would run again. He lost in the 2017 primary to former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

A Somerville resident and Raritan native, Ciattarelli has spent decades in politics and served in the state Assembly and in county and local government.

What's next?

Ciattarelli will face Democrat Mikie Sherrill in November as he tries to succeed Murphy.

As of June 1, there were 6,574,692 registered voters in New Jersey, including 2,451,752 Democrats and 1,624,437 Republicans. That is 44,302 fewer Democrats and 60,666 more Republicans than at this time last year.

The nation will be watching the Garden State's general election unfold as a bellwether — New Jersey and Virginia are the only states holding elections for governor this year. Pundits are portraying the two races as referendums on the second Trump administration's policies and agenda.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com