On a chilly October evening in East Brunswick, Jack Ciattarelli stood before a packed crowd, his voice carrying a familiar refrain: “How about we elect the Jersey guy?” It’s a simple pitch, but for the Republican nominee in New Jersey’s high-stakes gubernatorial race, it’s more than a slogan. It’s a declaration of local pride and a challenge to the state’s political status quo. As the campaign against Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill intensifies, both authenticity and controversy are taking center stage in a contest that’s as much about character as it is about policy.
Ciattarelli, a lifelong resident whose family has called New Jersey home for over a century, is casting himself as the embodiment of the state’s values and struggles. Raised in Raritan, where his parents owned a restaurant and bar, he’s betting that deep roots and a pragmatic approach will resonate with voters weary of national polarization and anxious about everyday concerns. According to reporting from multiple outlets, Ciattarelli’s campaign is laser-focused on affordability, safety, and education—issues that have taken on new urgency as residents grapple with soaring energy costs and property taxes.
“There’s a New Jersey I want to get back to,” Ciattarelli told supporters recently, painting a picture of safer neighborhoods, robust public schools, and a future where middle-class families aren’t squeezed out by rising expenses. His message has struck a chord with voters like Corie Bruder, who switched her registration from independent to Republican, citing frustration over taxes and the exodus of residents. “Everybody’s moving out of the state,” Bruder said after a rally, echoing a sentiment that’s become a rallying cry for Ciattarelli’s supporters.
Yet, the race is anything but straightforward. New Jersey’s Democratic registration advantage—some 800,000 voters strong—looms large. Mikie Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman and Navy veteran, is no political lightweight. She’s made affordability her own campaign centerpiece, proposing to consolidate school districts, regulate pharmacy benefit managers to lower prescription costs, and freeze utility rates for a year. Sherrill has also positioned herself as a fighter for New Jersey’s interests in Washington, vowing to sue President Trump over the suspension of $18 billion in funding for the Gateway Tunnel project, a critical infrastructure initiative.
But Sherrill’s campaign has become entangled in controversy over her past. On October 24, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a former rival, said it was “fair” to demand that Sherrill release her military disciplinary records to address lingering questions about her involvement in a cheating scandal at the US Naval Academy. According to The New York Post, Sherrill was barred from walking at her Annapolis commencement in 1994 due to a test theft incident. Initially, she claimed she was penalized for not turning in classmates, but later said she spoke to academy investigators and “told them what I knew.” The shifting explanations have fueled calls from Ciattarelli and others for full transparency. Sherrill, however, has declined to release the records, citing the sheer volume of files and interviews involved. “This was a big thing that took place at the school, and so there’s hundreds of files and hundreds of interviews and stuff like that,” she argued in a recent interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board.
Fulop, who finished third behind Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in the June 10 Democratic primary, hasn’t spoken to Sherrill since the race but noted that Ciattarelli reached out. “I think it speaks to the fact that he is very, very effective on relationships in retail politics,” Fulop told the “Hold That Thought …” podcast. He was blunt in his assessment of Sherrill’s campaign, saying, “If you’re light on policy and can’t create a clear vision, you can have headwinds, and that became true.” Fulop also suggested that the Democrats’ best asset in the race is, ironically, Donald Trump. “If Trump wasn’t in the White House, Ciattarelli would be up by 12 points,” Fulop said, highlighting how national politics continue to cast a long shadow over the contest.
Indeed, Trump’s influence is impossible to ignore. Democratic ads have branded Ciattarelli as “100% MAGA” and the “Trump of Trenton,” seeking to mobilize the state’s Democratic base by tying him to the former president. Ciattarelli’s relationship with Trump has evolved dramatically over the years. In 2015, he called Trump a “charlatan,” but by 2020 he was attending a “Stop the Steal” rally and, in this campaign, has embraced Trump’s endorsement. During a recent debate, Ciattarelli gave Trump an “A” for his second-term performance, arguing that a strong relationship with the White House is essential for advancing New Jersey’s interests. Still, he insists the race is about local issues, not national figures. “What does the president have to do with our property taxes? The overdevelopment of our communities? The failure of our public school system?” Ciattarelli has asked, trying to shift the conversation back to state-specific concerns.
Ciattarelli’s efforts to appeal beyond his party’s base have yielded some surprising endorsements. North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Dover Mayor Jim Dodd—both Democrats—have thrown their support behind him, citing his bipartisan approach and responsiveness to local issues. Dodd praised Ciattarelli’s hands-on style, saying, “I’ve never seen a candidate work as hard as he is to win this election.” Jamel Holley, a former Democratic Assembly member, described Ciattarelli as “a rational, common-sense, everyday guy” with the experience to tackle urgent problems like utility costs. These endorsements are crucial as Ciattarelli seeks to build a coalition of Republicans, disenchanted independents, and non-White voters—especially Latinos, a group that swung toward Trump in recent years.
Polls in October 2025 reflect just how tight the race has become, with Sherrill holding only a narrow single-digit lead. Off-year elections in New Jersey are notoriously unpredictable, with lower turnout adding to the uncertainty. For Ciattarelli, the challenge is to persuade enough Democrats and independents to break with tradition and side with the “Jersey guy.” His campaign leans heavily on his personal story—immigrant roots, small business ownership, and a record of bipartisan cooperation in the state Assembly. Sherrill, meanwhile, emphasizes her accountability and broad coalition-building within the Democratic Party, arguing that her proposals on affordability and transparency can unite voters across ideological lines. “You should demand nothing less,” she told supporters, framing the election as a choice between practical solutions and partisan loyalty.
Outside observers see the contest as a bellwether for national trends. The outcome will reveal whether New Jersey voters are more motivated by local authenticity and tangible policy promises or by the gravitational pull of national party politics. For now, both candidates are racing against the clock, canvassing neighborhoods and making their final pitches as early voting begins. The result won’t just decide the future of Trenton; it will offer clues about the evolving landscape of American politics and the enduring value of authenticity in an era of polarization.
As the campaign enters its final days, New Jersey stands at a crossroads, watching closely as two distinct visions for the state’s future vie for supremacy. The outcome will speak volumes about the power of local roots, the impact of transparency, and the ever-present influence of national politics in shaping even the most local of races.
