Jack Ciattarelli has won the Republican primary for New Jersey governor, CBS News projects, marking his third attempt at the position.
Ciattarelli previously ran in 2017 but lost the Republican nomination to then-Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno. He made a stronger showing in 2021, winning the GOP nomination and narrowly losing the general election to Democratic Governor Phil Murphy by just a few percentage points. With Murphy now term-limited and unable to run again, the upcoming race is expected to be highly competitive.
CBS News also projects Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill as the winner of the Democratic primary. This sets the stage for a high-profile general election race between Ciattarelli and Sherrill in November.
Leading up to the primary, Ciattarelli maintained a strong position in the polls and had the backing of former President Donald Trump. Trump, who narrowly lost New Jersey to Vice President Kamala Harris by six points in the 2024 presidential election, expressed optimism that the state could flip red.
"New Jersey is ready to pop out of that blue horror show and really get in there and vote for somebody that's going to make things happen," Trump said during a tele-rally in support of Ciattarelli.
Ciattarelli has outlined a platform focused on tax reform, particularly property tax relief. He has said he wants to implement a new school funding formula aimed at easing the tax burden for seniors and first-time homebuyers.
To win the primary, Ciattarelli beat out four other Republican candidates: State Senator Jon Bramnick, media personality Bill Spadea, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and contractor Justin Barbera.
This primary was the most expensive in New Jersey’s history. According to Ad Impact, more than $88 million was spent in total during the campaign.
Voter turnout was also notable. Over 148,000 New Jersey residents cast their ballots early, and another 330,000 voted by mail.
As Ciattarelli moves on to face Mikie Sherrill in the general election, both parties are preparing for a closely watched and well-funded battle for control of the governor’s seat in a key blue-leaning state.
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