Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli has turned his campaign into a full display of New Jersey identity. This week, he attracted attention outside MetLife Stadium, where he cooked pork roll sandwiches for football fans before the Giants and Eagles game. Surrounded by supporters, he used the state’s breakfast favorite to underline his message that he is the true “Jersey guy.”
The pork roll episode became symbolic after his opponent, Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill, called the name “gross” and said it should be called “Taylor ham.” The lighthearted dispute over the regional name allowed Ciattarelli to highlight his lifelong connection to the state. Born in Somerville and raised in Raritan, he reminded voters that his family had lived in New Jersey for more than a century and owned local businesses for generations.
The event drew hundreds of fans who responded to Ciattarelli’s local pride. He told them that the state’s future required leadership rooted in its people and not outsiders. His campaign consistently repeats that he represents small-business values, local heritage, and a practical approach to government.
- Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican businessman and former state lawmaker, is running for New Jersey governor, promising to lower taxes, reduce spending, and restore local control.
- His campaign gained energy through rallies, a sharp debate with Mikie Sherrill, and endorsements from several Democratic leaders.
- Ciattarelli’s message centers on affordability, law enforcement support, and his deep New Jersey roots.
A Week of Rallies, Endorsements, and Grassroots Momentum
Earlier that week, Ciattarelli met with about 300 supporters at Element Restaurant in Manahawkin, where he spoke about the possibility of turning New Jersey red in the 2025 election. He compared Sherrill to past Democratic leaders from outside the state, including former Governor Jon Corzine of Illinois and Governor Phil Murphy of Massachusetts. He said their leadership styles showed how difficult it can be for non-natives to understand New Jersey’s needs.
Ciattarelli’s campaign continued with a fast pace, covering more than 25 cities and towns within seven days. He attended local parades, church forums, business meetings, and public rallies, including one on the Wildwood boardwalk. His speeches focused on reducing taxes, helping businesses, fighting crime, and restoring affordability to the state.
Supporters at every stop reacted positively to his straightforward agenda, which included ending cashless bail, ensuring state employees return to offices after the pandemic, and reversing sanctuary city policies. His tone combined local confidence with fiscal discipline, which resonated in both suburban and working-class areas.
Debate Night: Accusations and Policy Clashes
Midweek, Ciattarelli prepared for his second televised debate against Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman and former Navy helicopter pilot. The debate quickly became tense, as Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of profiting from the opioid crisis through his former medical publishing company, Galen Publishing, alleging that it spread misinformation. Ciattarelli denied the claim and said it was false and defamatory.
The candidates argued over topics such as the federal shutdown, former President Donald Trump’s policies, and the cost of living in New Jersey. They found agreement on only one matter: that New Jersey should remain the only state in the country where drivers do not pump their own gas.
Following the debate, Sherrill told reporters that she believed voters cared about candidates who would fight for them. Ciattarelli’s campaign later announced plans to pursue legal action over Sherrill’s statements, while her campaign responded by saying he was trying to avoid accountability.
Policy Focus: Affordability, Safety, and Local Control
Ciattarelli’s platform centers on making New Jersey more affordable and efficient. His tax plan includes capping property taxes based on home value, reducing state spending by 30%, cutting the Corporation Business Tax, and allowing student loan interest to be tax-deductible. He also proposes creating a new Department of Government Efficiency to monitor unnecessary spending and review unelected positions.
On public safety, he has pledged to end cashless bail and require all state workers to return to in-person offices after the pandemic. He also plans to end sanctuary city policies, repeal the Immigrant Trust Directive, and require law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
In energy policy, Ciattarelli wants to roll back electric vehicle mandates that he considers too costly. His proposed “Energy Master Plan” would focus on lowering costs for residents and supporting businesses. A lighter part of the plan — bringing back plastic shopping bags — has become a crowd favorite at his rallies.
Ciattarelli has also promised to impose a “reverse congestion pricing” fee on New York vehicles entering New Jersey unless New York Governor Kathy Hochul ends the $9 congestion charge for drivers heading into Manhattan below 60th Street. He has further criticized airlines for greeting passengers landing at Newark Airport with “Welcome to New York,” saying it should instead acknowledge New Jersey.
His stance on social issues includes limiting elective abortions after 20 weeks, requiring parental consent for minors, and opposing taxpayer-funded procedures. He supports reducing teenage pregnancies through education programs.
Democratic Crossovers Strengthen the GOP Bid
Ciattarelli’s growing list of supporters includes several high-profile Democrats. North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, a longtime political figure who has led his township for four decades, endorsed Ciattarelli, saying that residents’ well-being mattered more than party loyalty.
Sacco was joined by Anthony Vainieri, a North Bergen commissioner and former Hudson County Democratic Organization chair. In a social media post, Vainieri detailed his long history as a Democrat, noting his family’s political legacy. He said the state was “going in the wrong direction” and that Ciattarelli was the right person to put New Jersey “back on track.”
Both Sacco and Vainieri had previously supported Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in the Democratic primary, but their switch to back Jack Ciattarelli showed growing frustration inside their party. They joined about a dozen other Democratic officials now supporting the Republican candidate.
Ciattarelli said he appreciated the support, and the Democratic Party had controlled the state legislature for 25 years and the governor’s office for eight, arguing that current policies had led to repeated failures in affordability, public safety, and education.
Personal Background and Career
Jack Ciattarelli was born in 1961 in Somerville and raised in Raritan, New Jersey. The grandson of Italian immigrants, he grew up in a working-class family that owned a bar and restaurant. After earning a master’s degree in finance from Seton Hall University, he started two businesses, including Galen Publishing, which he sold in 2017.
Public records show that Ciattarelli has earned about $14.9 million and paid nearly $4 million in taxes since 2012. His political career began in the early 1990s on the Raritan Borough Council, followed by service as a Somerset County freeholder from 2007 to 2011. He was later elected to the state Assembly, where he served from 2011 to 2018.
Ciattarelli first ran for governor in 2017 but lost in the Republican primary to Kim Guadagno. In 2021, he won the Republican nomination and narrowly lost to Governor Phil Murphy by just over three percentage points.
He has four adult children with his ex-wife, Melinda Ciattarelli, from whom he divorced in 2024.
Running Mate, Election Details, and Endorsements
Ciattarelli’s running mate is Jim Gannon, the Sheriff of Morris County, who is now serving his third term. Gannon, a native of Boonton, has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, including time with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and as a first responder during the September 11 attacks.
The 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4. Voter registration closes on October 25, with early voting running from October 25 through November 2.
Ciattarelli’s campaign has received several endorsements, including from former President Donald Trump, who called him a “terrific America First candidate,” and former Governor Thomas Kean. Trump’s endorsement described Ciattarelli as “a winner” and “100% committed” to the Make America Great Again movement. Law enforcement groups, such as the New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police and the Association of Former New Jersey State Troopers, have also endorsed his bid.
A High-Energy Push to the Finish Line
By the end of the week, Ciattarelli had visited more than 20 municipalities, keeping up a demanding campaign pace. At MetLife Stadium, where the Giants defeated the Eagles 34–17, he greeted hundreds of fans and shared pork roll sandwiches, drawing praise from residents across the state.
His campaign closed the week with news of a defamation suit against Sherrill and a fresh endorsement from Mayor Sacco. Ciattarelli ended the night at an event in North Bergen, celebrating bipartisan support and renewing his message that voters from every part of the state — whether they back the Giants, Eagles, Mets, or Yankees — are united in wanting change.
