ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — Former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac has received endorsements from Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in his bid to become the Republican nominee for governor of New Jersey.
Kranjac, an attorney, according to Sliwa has been the group’s legal counsel for over thirty years, donating his time to the organization.
Sliwa, a longtime associate of Kranjac and the founder of the volunteer crime prevention group, announced the endorsement in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“I have known Mario for 30 years,” Sliwa stated. “He became Mayor of Englewood Cliffs, he took on all the powers that be at the state, county and local levels. He was and remains incorruptible.”
Kranjac, a Republican, served as mayor in the predominantly Democratic borough of Englewood Cliffs, where he positioned himself as a reformer. According to Sliwa, Kranjac pushed back against development pressures and fought to preserve the town’s zoning laws. “They were trying to do upzoning, and he fought the upzoning that is so important to maintain the quality of life,” Sliwa said.
The announcement places Kranjac among the early Republican contenders aiming to challenge the Democratic nominee in the race to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy. The GOP primary in New Jersey is scheduled for late June.
Gingrich, who served as Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999, also backs Kranjac, though he has not issued an independent public statement as of Friday. His support was relayed by Sliwa during the endorsement message.
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Kranjac also serves as legal counsel for the Guardian Angels and has volunteered in that capacity for decades, according to Sliwa. The endorsement emphasized Kranjac’s long-standing service and conservative credentials.