As he seeks to lock up the GOP endorsement for governor, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli launched an advertisement Wednesday touting his endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee in 2021, is considered the strong frontrunner among the five Republican candidates seeking the party’s nomination to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy. Two other major candidates include former radio host Bill Spadea, who fought Ciattarelli for the president’s endorsement, and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Trump-skeptic moderate.
Ciattarelli has led every publicly available poll, and Trump’s endorsement is expected to further his grip on the lead. Election Day is less than two weeks away.
The 15-second spot features a photo of Trump meeting with Ciattarelli at the president’s club in Bedminster, a photo taken while both Ciattarelli and Spadea were actively seeking his endorsement.
The ad opens with a second-long clip of Spadea speaking, while a narrator says, “Ignore the BS.”
Transcript:
“Ignore the BS. Only one candidate for governor earned President Trump’s endorsement: Jack Ciattarelli. President Trump called Jack ‘a winner’ who will ‘fight tirelessly’ for New Jersey. Jack Ciattarelli: the Trump choice for governor.”