HOLMDEL, New Jersey—Just a few minutes after telling an enthused crowed of supporters that he is committed to the goal of a “safer, more prosperous, and affordable New Jersey,” Jack Ciattarelli told The Daily Signal that he very mindful of the openings on the state supreme court.
“We have two new appointments,” the Republican gubernatorial nominee said while making his way through a crowd of voters who figured into a decisive primary victory. Ciattarelli, a 63-year-old businessman a former Republican assemblyman, nearly unseated Gov. Phil Murphy, the incumbent Democratic governor, in the 2021 gubernatorial race.
On Tuesday, he won all 21 New Jersey counties over a crowded field of primary opponents winning more than 67% of the vote. Ciattarelli also received the endorsement of President Donald Trump. In the November election, he will face off against Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic House member, now representing New Jersey’s 11th congressional District. While the Democratic primary was more closely contested, Sherrill emerged as a clear winner with more than 34% of the vote.
Judicial appointments are among the several topics where the two candidates are expected to clash. The seven-member New Jersey Supreme Court is widely viewed by policy analysts as one of the most activist in the entire country. Two of its most controversial decisions include the Abbott v. Burke ruling, which involved school funding, and the Mount Laurel decision that dealt with affordable housing.
On his campaign website, Ciattarelli pledges to “break from the failed tradition of artificially providing partisan balance on the State Supreme Court.” Instead, his focus will be selecting “the best and most qualified nominees (regardless of party affiliation) who will apply the law as written by the legislature, not endeavor to make law that resulted in the failed Abbott and Mount Laurel decisions.” Under New Jersey law, the governor nominates, and the senate confirms high court judges. Once confirmed, judges serve for an initial seven-year term. Once that term is up, a governor can then nominate a judge for a tenured position that also requires senate confirmation. Tenured judges are automatically retired when they reach the age of 70.
Michel Hurtado, the Trenton Republican Party vice chairman, is keen on the idea of breaking with tradition when the opportunity comes to fill expected vacancies on the state supreme court. He spoke with The Daily Signal following Ciattarelli’s victory speech at the Bell Works facility in Monmouth County.
“For too long we’ve had this gentlemen’s agreement regarding appointments to the supreme court to maintain a partisan balance,” Hurtado said. “But it hasn’t served us well. We’ve just ended up with far-left appointments.”
Sherrill, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Navy helicopter pilot, and former federal prosecutor, has not made any clear statements yet on what kind of judges she would select. Her campaign website does put some emphasis on criminal justice reforms while expressing concern over the “threat of gun violence.” Sherrill has told news outlets she intends to pick an “aggressive” attorney general for the purpose of opposing the Trump administration.
But Ciattarelli appears poised for battle in the general election. He warned the hundreds of attendees at his victory rally of the coming campaign attacks, saying they should expect to be “Trumped off their a** everyday” since Sherrill “has no plan for New Jersey and can’t run on her own record.”
Ciattarelli also called out Sherrill for voting in favor of “open borders” as a member of Congress. He was also particularly critical of the fact Sherrill voted against the Laken Riley Act, which requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to detain illegal aliens admitting to, charged with, or convicted of theft-related crimes, assaults against police officers, and crimes that result in death or serious injury. Trump signed the bill into law earlier this year.
As governor, Ciattarelli has said he we would repeal New Jersey’s sanctuary law known as the “Immigrant Trust Directive” designed to shield illegal aliens from law enforcement. He has also pledged to ban municipalities from declaring themselves sanctuary cities.
Maria Bua, a former Mercer County Republican chairwoman, sees law and order questions working to Ciattarelli’s advantage.
“There’s real public fatigue with the lawlessness that comes from illegal immigration in Jersey and across the country,” she said. “You see what’s happening out in Los Angeles and with the foolish stunts Democrats have pulled in Jersey protesting against the detention facility in Newark where dangerous criminals who are also illegal aliens have been held.”
Even so, Bua acknowledges that the Democrats have built in advantages in the Garden State where they hold a 896,350 voter registration advantage over Republicans. She also points to the historical tendency for the party in the White House to lose seats in off year elections. Yet, Trump came within six points of winning the state against former Vice President Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential race.
“I expect a competitive race,” Bua said. “It looks like Jack is going to get help from the national party that he didn’t quite get last time. There’s a feeling New Jersey is in play now and into the future.”
Someone else in attendance with a long history in the state was former Republican State Senator Richard LaRossa who represented parts of Mercer County. He expressed some optimism that Ciattarelli could win in November.
“This is a very strong statement with Jack winning all 21 counties,” LaRossa said. “I think Jack is in the best position of any GOP candidate in the past 30 years.”
Rocco Riccio, a public-school teacher in Trenton, is particularly impressed with Ciattarelli’s position on education. The Republican candidate has expressed support for the expansion of charter schools and other school choice initiatives modeled after Florida’s voucher program. Ciattarelli has also called for a “Parents’ Bill of Rights.”
Riccio takes a critical view of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion policies that have been implemented in school districts.
“I’ve seen up close how damaging these DEI policies are for students,” he said.
Riccio also cites an alarming figure that he hopes will find its way into the campaign. In a little more than 10 years these figures show, there’s been a paltry growth of about 5% in the number of teachers statewide compared to a 95% growth in administration.
“We need to change direction,” Riccio said. “Now is the time.” The New Jersey gubernatorial election will be held Tuesday Nov. 4th. Republicans have not won statewide in New Jersey since 2013 when former Republican Gov. Chris Christie was re-elected. The last Republican presidential candidate to win the state was George H. W. Bush in 1988.