President Donald J. Trump made it plain and powerful on Truth Social this weekend: Jack Ciattarelli is his pick to be the next Governor of New Jersey. He didn’t hedge, he didn’t waffle—he gave Jack the full MAGA seal of approval. Calling him a “terrific America First candidate” and praising his commitment to economic growth, lower taxes, safer streets, and real leadership, Trump made it clear: New Jersey Republicans have their man.
Now the only question is—will they act like it?
According to a fresh poll conducted by National Research Inc. between May 6th and 8th, Ciattarelli is obliterating the GOP field. He leads with a commanding 54% of the vote. Bill Spadea, who’s spent months positioning himself as the “outsider,” is sitting at just 23%. State Senator Jon Bramnick has a mere 10%, and former Mayor Mario Kranjac is barely registering at 2%. In other words—this primary is already over.
Or at least, it should be.
Too often, conservatives shoot themselves in the foot by dragging out family feuds long after the math makes the decision for them. Ciattarelli is the only candidate with statewide name recognition, the only one who came within a few points of winning in 2021, and now, the only one with Donald Trump’s endorsement. The sooner the party unites, the stronger the chances—not just to win a primary, but to flip the statehouse and stop the madness coming out of Trenton.
The leftists running New Jersey have already done enough damage.
They’ve taxed the state to death. They’ve crippled small businesses with regulation after regulation. They’ve stripped parents of their rights in the classroom and forced schools to follow radical curricula that have more to do with gender ideology than academic excellence. They’ve released violent offenders back into neighborhoods under the banner of “criminal justice reform.” And they’ve made New Jersey so unaffordable that the middle class is packing up and leaving in droves.
If Republicans want to stop that trend and turn this state around, they need a candidate who doesn’t just “check the boxes,” but who’s already proven he can win there. Jack Ciattarelli did something remarkable in 2021—he ran a bold, principled, common-sense campaign and came within a whisper of beating Phil Murphy in a state Joe Biden carried by 16 points just the year before.
That’s not a fluke. That’s a movement.
With Trump’s backing, the America First base has every reason to go all-in on Ciattarelli. And with the polling numbers so lopsided, there’s no strategic excuse to delay the inevitable. Every dollar, every volunteer hour, every media hit from this point forward should be aimed at the real fight: defeating the progressive machine that’s hollowing out New Jersey.
Delaying unity only gives the Democrats more ammo.
Democrats love nothing more than watching Republicans bicker over purity tests, waste time relitigating the past, and burn energy tearing down fellow conservatives. The longer the GOP drags out a primary that’s already decided, the more resources the left can pour into organizing, fundraising, and message discipline.
Meanwhile, voters across the state are watching—and they’re not interested in a circular firing squad. They want solutions. They want lower taxes, safer neighborhoods, better schools, and a government that works for them—not the teachers' unions, not the bureaucrats, not the far-left interest groups.
And that’s exactly what Jack Ciattarelli is offering.
He’s not a newcomer. He’s not chasing the spotlight or looking to cash in on cable hits. He’s a serious leader with a real plan to rescue New Jersey from the brink—and now he’s got Trump’s full-throated support to back it up. That’s a signal to every Republican in the state: get off the fence and get in the fight.
To those still clinging to second place or trying to play spoiler—do the right thing. Bow out gracefully and put the mission above your ambition. New Jersey’s future is more important than your podcast, your ego, or your Twitter following.
And to voters who might still be unsure: understand this—there’s no cavalry coming. Jack Ciattarelli is the path forward. He’s shown he can compete. He’s shown he can lead. And now, he’s the only Republican in the race with a real shot at victory.
The Democrats are hoping for a drawn-out, bitter GOP primary. Let’s disappoint them.
Let’s show the country that even in deep-blue territory, the conservative movement can organize, focus, and win. But that won’t happen by accident. It’ll take unity. It’ll take urgency. And it starts now—not weeks from now, not after another debate or two. Now.
President Trump just fired the starting gun. Let’s stop dithering and start running. Let’s back Jack Ciattarelli, unite the New Jersey GOP, and send a loud, unmistakable message to the left: your days of wrecking the Garden State are numbered.