Jack ciattarelli: i don't need donald trump to beat phil murphy

Jack Ciattarelli: I don’t need Donald Trump to beat Phil Murphy

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1 min read
October 12, 2021

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey GOP candidate for Governor Jack Ciattarelli on Tuesday said he doesn’t need former President Donald J. Trump or his endorsement to beat incumbent Democrat Governor Phil Murphy. Ciattarelli might be right, but what he does need is the support of the still remaining vast majority of Republicans who staunchly support the former President.

Trump has not endorsed Jack Ciattarelli and after last night’s debate between Murphy and Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate said it’s alright with him. When asked about his flip-flopping on the Donald Trump topic, Ciattarelli said he did have harsh words, but chalked it up to politics.

“27 years of marriage, I want you to know Melinda’s called me worse than a charlatan a few times, um, and listen I remember the democratic presidential primary last year, Kamala Harris didna have all the many complimentary things to say about Joe Biden at times,” Ciattarelli said. “We know how politics can work.”

Ciattarelli said after Trump was elected, he wanted to see the former president be successful, despite calling him a charlatan who was unfit for the position. Ciattarelli has had a lukewarm, on-again, off-again relationship with Trump. He attended the President’s 2020 Wildwood rally and last year attended a pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” themed rally.

He’s also created distance between himself and Trump during that period, blaming him for the January 6th Capitol incursion and defying Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

“Once he was elected, once he was elected I wanted him to be successful,” Ciattarelli said. “I think it’s un-American not to root for the president be successful and I feel the same way about Joe Biden. Donald Trump did have some success successes at the national, international, level.”

When asked point-blank, would you accept the former President’s endorsement, Ciattarelli rebuked the notion.

“If you watch my campaign really closely, I’m not into endorsements,” Ciattarelli responded. “I’m not into other people campaigning for me.”

Ciattarelli then took a jab at Murphy who has had a long line of a-list national Democrats stump for him including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“People see right through those kinds of things,” he added. “I go out and greet the people in New Jersey every day of the week. I go out there and campaign on my own. I’ll win my own election.”

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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