Former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli is projected to win the New Jersey Republican primary for governor, according to the NBC News Decision Desk.
Ciattarelli gained the endorsement of President Donald Trump in May in New Jersey's GOP primary, saying he's gone “ALL IN” on the “Make America Great Again” agenda.
He will now face off against the Democratic nominee for governor in the general election Nov. 4.
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WATCH HERECiattarelli has said he would sign an order on his first day in office ending New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, which bars local police from cooperating with federal officials on civil immigration matters. He has also said he would direct whomever he names attorney general to end lawsuits against the Trump administration, including a case aimed at stopping the president's order ending birthright citizenship for people whose parents were in the country illegally.
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SIGN UP The president's endorsement and Ciattarelli's gratitude to Trump in a social media post of his own reflect the president's influence in the party, even in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.
Trump's endorsement hinted at Ciattarelli's earlier criticism of Trump during his first run for the White House a decade ago, when he said Trump wasn't fit for the presidency.
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“Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100% (PLUS!),” Trump said in the Truth Social post.
Ciattarelli said in a post on X that he was “truly humbled and honored” by the endorsement.
“It’s time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again,” he said.
Full results in the primary election race for governor are here.
