This week, Jack Ciattarelli delighted fans at MetLife Stadium, flipping pork roll on a griddle in the parking lot and serving up sandwiches to tailgaters ahead of the “Turnpike Tussle” between the Giants and Eagles.
As the GOP candidate for governor of New Jersey, Ciattarelli embraced the state’s beloved breakfast food to highlight his identity as a true “Jersey guy,” in stark contrast to Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a newcomer from Virginia who sparked controversy by declaring that the term “pork roll” is “gross” and should be called “Taylor ham.”
With a cheerful grin, Ciattarelli exclaimed, “These are ready! Where’s our rolls?” as he carefully lifted the warm treats onto a tin pan.
“We owned a restaurant! We know what to do!” he proudly proclaimed, eliciting enthusiasm from the crowd.
Just two days prior, he ignited the pork roll debate during a campaign rally in Manahawkin.
Ciattarelli took a jab at Sherrill’s New Jersey roots while promoting the Republican Party’s chance of flipping the traditionally blue state red by winning the governor’s mansion and gaining control of the state Legislature, despite the nearly 900,000 voter majority held by Democrats.
“She wants you to believe she’s a Jersey girl, but doesn’t her recent pork roll comment say otherwise?” Ciattarelli addressed about 300 supporters at Element Restaurant last Tuesday. “She also claims to be moderate; she’s not a moderate!”
He elaborated, recalling past instances when Democrats brought in politicians from out of state, such as ex-Gov. Jon Corzine from Illinois and current Gov. Phil Murphy from Massachusetts, implying these decisions haven’t benefitted New Jersey.
<p“She isn't a New Jerseyan, so let’s elect the Jersey guy!” Ciattarelli rallied the audience, who cheered enthusiastically.
“My family has been here for over a century. Three generations of us have created our American dream right here in New Jersey.”
As his campaign gains momentum, so too do his fundraising efforts and polling numbers, indicating he’s neck and neck with Sherrill.
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Throughout this busy campaign week, which included more than 25 stops, the energy and optimism were undeniable—seen firsthand by The Post. The Republican, supported by President Trump, engaged with tens of thousands of New Jerseyans while promoting his tough-on-crime, business-friendly approach.
His schedule featured crossover endorsements from Democratic politicians, marching in local parades, attending a black pastors’ forum in Clifton, participating in a rally on the Wildwood boardwalk, and connecting with business leaders and potential contributors.
The former assemblyman, who represented Hunterdon County, paused his busy schedule Wednesday in preparation for his debate against Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman and former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot.
However, once the debate began, the tone quickly turned combative and personal.
Sherrill claimed Ciattarelli profited from the opioid crisis, asserting that he “killed tens of thousands” by spreading misinformation through his former medical publishing enterprise.
In response, Ciattarelli accused Sherrill of resorting to deceit in desperation, exclaiming, “Shame on you!”
He also took a shot at the growing controversy surrounding Sherrill’s military history, declaring, “I got to walk at my college graduation.”
The candidates clashed on multiple issues, including the federal government shutdown, Trump, and strategies to address New Jersey’s high cost of living.
Their only consensus: New Jersey remains the lone state where drivers can’t pump their own gas.
In response to Ciattarelli’s claims questioning her New Jersey credentials, Sherrill, who has lived in the state since 2010, accused him of being “out of touch.”
“I believe New Jersey voters are looking for someone who will fight for them, and they know that’s me,” the Montclair resident told The Post after the debate.
This week, Ciattarelli continued to emphasize important policy points from his campaign, including executive orders to ban sanctuary cities and mandate the return of government employees to in-person work post-pandemic.
He also pledged to abolish cashless bail, empower parents to ensure their children have “age-appropriate” educational content, and develop a new “energy master plan” aimed at reversing costly state mandates on electric vehicles.
“And here’s the best part of that energy master plan: you’ll be getting your plastic bags back at the supermarket,” Ciattarelli announced to over 300 supporters at Mamma Vittoria catering hall in Nutley, stirring huge applause.
“When I say I’m lowering taxes, I get applause. But when I promise to bring back plastic bags, the crowd goes wild!”
Ciattarelli reiterated his commitment to impose a “reverse congestion pricing” fee on New York vehicles entering New Jersey if elected, unless New York Governor Hochul cancels the $9 tolls that most drivers have faced since January to enter Manhattan.
He also expressed his frustration at airlines welcoming passengers to “New York” upon their arrival at Newark Airport.
“The first thing I’ll do as governor is call the CEO of United Airlines to remind him that he’s a tenant of ours at the Port Authority. When you land in New Jersey, it will say, ‘Welcome to New Jersey,’” he stated confidently.
Giacchino Michael “Jack” Ciattarelli, born in 1961 in Somerville and raised in Raritan, comes from a family of Italian immigrants who owned a bar and restaurant.
Having built two successful businesses, including the medical publishing company Galen Publishing, which he sold in 2017, Ciattarelli generated $14.9 million in income and paid nearly $4 million in taxes since 2012, according to the New Jersey Monitor.
With a master’s in finance from Seton Hall University, Ciattarelli began his political career on the Raritan Borough Council in the early 1990s, then served on the Somerset County Board of Freeholders from 2007 to 2011.
He later represented the district in the state Assembly from December 2011 until January 2018 and was at times a vocal critic of Trump and former Governor Chris Christie.
Despite losing the Republican primary for governor in 2017, he ran again in 2021 as the nominee but narrowly lost to Murphy.
Ciattarelli, who shares four adult children with his ex-wife Melinda, ended their marriage in 2024.
On Thursday night, he was spotted mingling with fans in the MetLife Stadium parking lot for over an hour, posing for photos and chatting with hundreds of tailgaters before the Giants’ stunning victory against the Eagles.
“He’s amazing!” enthused Giants fan Susan Christopoulos from Morris Plains. “I’m definitely voting for him. Meeting him was thrilling.”
“That was fantastic!” exclaimed Wendy Hamlin, a health insurance broker from Lincoln Park, after savoring one of the pork rolls prepared by Ciattarelli. “I fully support him; I align with everything he represents.”
Her friend Toni Anne Raymond, also a Giants supporter, expressed her admiration for Ciattarelli but noted he’s mistaken about the pork roll nomenclature—claiming it’s called “Taylor ham” in northern New Jersey.
“In North Jersey, we say ‘Taylor ham’ and in Central and South Jersey, it’s ‘pork roll,’” Raymond advised.
Others commended Ciattarelli’s performance in Wednesday’s debate, feeling he emerged victorious.
One tailgater humorously shared that he and his buddies enjoyed a drinking game while watching the debate, taking shots every time Sherrill mentioned “helicopter” or expressed disdain for Trump.
Ciattarelli confidently asserted he’s “absolutely” secured the “sports-fan” vote.
“Overall, the response has been terrific,” he told The Post. “People across New Jersey, regardless of whether they cheer for the Mets, Yankees, Giants, or Eagles, are eager for change.”
As he departed from MetLife Stadium, Ciattarelli’s campaign supported his candidacy with a defamation lawsuit against Sherrill, following her contentious remarks during the debate on his alleged dealings related to the opioid crisis.
Sherrill’s campaign retorted, issuing a statement criticizing Ciattarelli for attempting to “hide behind a lawsuit” rather than taking accountability.
Ciattarelli capped off a long day of campaigning with an event in North Bergen, securing a significant endorsement from the township’s Democratic mayor, ex-state Senator Nicholas Sacco.
“The well-being of our residents is far more important than party lines,” declared Sacco, a longstanding Hudson County influencer and the fourth Democratic mayor to support Ciattarelli’s gubernatorial aspirations during this campaign.
