MORRISTOWN, NJ – Jack Ciattarelli is running for Governor of New Jersey as a Republican and is rolling the dice against President Donald J. Trump. With Trump’s exodus all but certain from the White House after contesting the 2020 election, Ciattarelli has been rolling the dice against Trump for years in his bid to unseat Governor Phil Murphy. Ciattarelli is surrounded by a circle of Never Trumpers, the New Jersey GOP old guard that is trying to reclaim power in the Garden State. People like Chris Christie who is Trump’s biggest political Frenemy, former New Jersey Governor and Trump hater, Christie Todd Whitman and even RNC committeewoman Virginia Haines and RNC committeeman Bill Palatucci, both who never really fully embraced Trump are lining up behind Ciattarelli.
It’s a gamble that could pay off for Ciattarelli as he tries to draw in disenfranchised Democrats to his side, the only way he can win against Murphy in 2021. If Trump’s ratings continue to tank over his prolonged dispute over the 2020 election and the political perception changes that he is a political sore loser who is now baggage for the establishment GOP, Ciatterelli’s anti-trump stance could pay big dividends in November of 2021
His opponent, Doug Steinhardt, who happens to be a Trump supporter, today called him out.
“Jack Ciattarelli is a political opportunist,” said Steinhardt. “He lacks the courage to stand with conservatives on tough issues and can’t be trusted to make the tough choices New Jersey needs to get back on track. Heck, he couldn’t even summon the courage Monday to say he stands with President Trump.”
Earlier this week, on WOR-AM radio with Larry Mendte, Jack Ciattarelli flip flopped again, adding the latest “evolution” in his ever-changing position on President Donald Trump. When asked by the host if Ciattarelli was “as pro-Trump as Doug Steinhardt,” Ciattarelli demurred and said he “was rooting for the President, because that’s the American thing to do.”
“Ciattarelli has vacillated from being an unabashed “never Trumper” who lobbed personal insults at the President, to faking support for Trump when Ciattarelli thought it advanced his personal, political career. In fact, it’s so hard to follow Jack’s political summersaults that we created an easy-to-follow timeline if you don’t know Jack,” Steinhardt said.
Here’s a timeline documenting Ciattarelli’s Never Trumpin’…
- December 15th, 2015 – Ciattarelli slammed Trump as a “charlatan” who was “not fit to be President of the United States”
- February 27th, 2016 – Ciattarelli demanded Chris Christie resign as Governor after Christie endorsed Trump for President
- October 10th, 2016 – Ciattarelli called on Trump to “step aside” as a candidate for President, trying to derail the Trump Train before it ever left the station
- March 20th, 2017 – Ciattarelli said proudly he did not vote for Trump in the Presidential Election, but “voted for everyone else”
- January 21st, 2020 – After nearly 3 years of silence, Ciattarelli kicked of his second run for Governor with a lukewarm endorsement of President Trump
- December 2nd, 2020 – Even the liberal Star Ledger called out Ciattarelli, saying that he was demeaning himself, “by saying and doing things he obviously doesn’t believe.”
- December 28th, 2020 – Old Jack is back! Ciattarelli refuses to say he is pro-Trump during Monday’s radio show
Steinhardt continued, “With me, you’ll always know where I stand. While Jack Ciattarelli swims in the Trenton swamp with his lobbyist lackeys and State Street sponsors, I’m fighting for New Jersey’s families, because family is worth fighting for. That’s why I’m running for Governor. New Jersey needs leadership for a change, leadership that will make tough decisions to make it easier on hard-working families instead of providing an easy way out for weak politicians like Jack.”