Ex-Englewood Cliffs mayor will run for governor

Former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac is expected to enter the race for the Republican nomination for governor within the next few days, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.

A former two-term mayor of Englewood Cliffs and a close friend of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Kranjac became the first Republican mayor of tiny Englewood Cliffs (pop. 5,342) in 40 years after the retirement of Joseph Parisi, Jr. in 2015.  Parisi had become mayor a decade earlier after the death of his father, who had held the post for 39 years.

He was re-elected to a second term by a ten-point margin in 2019, but did not seek re-election in 2023.

Kranjac will have the backing of Mike Crispi, the chairman of America First Republicans of New Jersey.  Crispi, who launched an exploratory committee last year, said tonight that he will not run for governor.

While Crispi didn’t mention Kranjac by name, he said the candidate “has stood unwaveringly for President Trump and the MAGA base over the last nine years” and will be able to unite Republicans and appeal to independents to forge a winning general election campaign.

He will join a race that includes State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, former State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan), NJ 101.5 radio personality Bill Spadea, and some minor candidates, including former Burlington City Mayor Jim Fazzone.

Kranjac has not been invited to participate in the New Jersey Globe Republican Gubernatorial Primary Debate on February 4.  The cutoff for candidates was January 12.

The New Jersey Globe first reported Kranjac’s exploration of a run for governor in June.