TRENTON, NJ – Jack Ciattarelli, if he wins the MAGA primary for governor of New Jersey, will have done it by bear-hugging Donald Trump and refusing to let any daylight come between them.
Just don’t expect that to continue after June 10th.
Here’s what NJ Spotlight reported last night:
- Ciattarelli “has ramped up allegiance to the Trump administration – which analysts predict will help him during the primary, but may come back to haunt him during the general election.”
- “More so than ever, Ciattarelli has been cozying up to the president this primary season.”
That primary-season “cozying up” means that if he becomes the nominee, Ciattarelli will have to spend the general election defending himself against… himself. Here’s Insider NJ on Sunday:
- Jack Ciattarelli says he knows what his Democratic opponent will do this fall – no matter who it is. Bring up Donald Trump.
- To that, Ciattarelli said: «What does Donald Trump have to do with property taxes?»… Some may note that the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions – a legacy of the 2017 Trump tax plan – has something to do with property taxes.
Almost exactly one year ago today, Trump called out Ciattarelli on Bill Spadea’s radio show for keeping his distance during his last two losing campaigns for governor. Now, in a transparently political change of heart, Ciattarelli brags that “he is full-blown MAGA” in a sign that he’ll say anything to become governor.
“New Jersey voters have rejected Jack Ciattarelli twice and they’re about to do it a third time – even if he out-MAGAs the rest of the GOP primary field, he’ll spend a long general election running from his support for a president and an agenda that’s harming New Jersey families,” said New Jersey Democratic State Committee spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki.
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