Jack Ciattarelli, the former state assemblyman and 2021 Republican nominee for governor, has emerged victorious in the 2025 New Jersey GOP primary, paving the way for a highly anticipated rematch in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican governor in over a decade.
Ciattarelli captured the Republican nomination with a commanding lead over his rivals, including conservative commentator Bill Spadea and Atlantic County Commissioner Don Guardian. With over 90% of precincts reporting by late Tuesday evening, Ciattarelli had garnered approximately 54% of the vote, according to preliminary data released by the New Jersey Division of Elections.
“This is only the beginning,” Ciattarelli told a jubilant crowd of supporters at his campaign headquarters in Somerset County. “We are going to bring common sense leadership back to New Jersey and restore faith in the government.”
The results position Ciattarelli for a potential rematch against incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy’s handpicked successor, should the Democrats nominate former Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin or Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in their primary later this month. Political analysts suggest Ciattarelli’s strong name recognition and sharpened message could make him a formidable contender in a state where Democrats hold a voter registration advantage of nearly 1 million.
According to The New York Times, Ciattarelli’s base showed up in droves, energized by economic grievances, tax fatigue, and cultural flashpoints such as school curricula and parental rights in education. “This election is not about red vs blue. It’s about right vs wrong,” Ciattarelli said during a rally in Trenton last week, according to NYTimes.
A fractured Republican field, now consolidated
Ciattarelli’s primary win marks a unifying moment for the GOP in New Jersey, which has often suffered from internal divisions and lackluster turnout. Spadea, known for his right-wing radio commentary and strong anti-lockdown stance, conceded late Tuesday and offered his tepid support to the nominee, stating, “The voters have spoken. I respect that.”
Guardian, who was the first openly gay Republican to win countywide office in Atlantic County, trailed with 11% and also called Ciattarelli to concede. According to The Washington Post, Ciattarelli’s team out-fundraised and out-organized his opponents, leveraging data-driven outreach and grassroots volunteers to flip key counties in Central and South Jersey, according to Washington Post.
Republican strategy: Taxes, parental rights, crime
The Ciattarelli campaign focused sharply on property tax reform, parental involvement in school decisions, and growing concerns over crime and illegal immigration in North Jersey. These issues echoed nationally resonant GOP themes while being tailored for New Jersey’s diverse electorate.
“Jack has the unique ability to speak to suburban moms in Hunterdon County and small business owners in Camden,” said GOP strategist Meghan Pirelli in an interview with NBC Philadelphia. “He understands New Jersey isn’t red or blue — it’s just fed up,” according to NBC Philadelphia.
In recent polling released before the primary, Ciattarelli held a narrow lead in a hypothetical matchup against Coughlin, with 47% support to the Democrat’s 44%, signaling that the general election could be closer than many had anticipated. Democrats, however, remain confident that their coalition of urban, suburban, and minority voters will hold.
The Democratic playbook: tie Ciattarelli to Trump?
Despite Ciattarelli’s efforts to distance himself from the national GOP’s more extreme factions, Democrats are expected to tie him to Donald Trump, whose presidency remains divisive in the Garden State. In 2021, Ciattarelli lost to Murphy by just 3 points — a surprisingly narrow margin given New Jersey’s leftward tilt — but he avoided overt Trumpism in that campaign.
“He’s trying to walk a fine line,” said political science professor Brigid Callahan Harrison of Montclair State University. “He wants the Republican base without alienating moderates. But in this environment, that’s a difficult balance.”
Looking ahead: tight race expected
November’s general election is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the country, offering clues about suburban voter behavior heading into the 2026 midterms. The GOP sees New Jersey as a chance to prove that blue states are not entirely out of reach, especially when economic dissatisfaction and national fatigue with Democrats are high.
Political observers also note that Ciattarelli’s message may resonate with Hispanic and Asian American voters, two growing blocs in counties like Bergen and Middlesex, where Republicans have been making inroads.
As New Jersey braces for a pivotal gubernatorial race, both parties are already gearing up for a bruising campaign. Ciattarelli’s victory in the Republican primary puts him back in the spotlight — and back in the fight — for a seat that’s been elusive for conservatives since Chris Christie’s departure in 2018.
Whether New Jersey voters are ready to shift direction remains uncertain. But for now, Jack Ciattarelli stands at the frontlines of what could be a seismic political shift in the Northeast.
