MOUNT OLIVE – It was a day for craft beer, a variety of subs, and for Jack Ciattarelli, a win.
Ciattarelli confirmed his frontrunner status last Saturday by winning a straw poll conducted by the Morris County Republican Clubs Alliance. (That is distinct from the county’s Republican Committee).
The tally was 42 for Ciattarelli, 20 for Bill Spadea, 8 for Jon Bramnick, 5 for Juston Barbera and 4 for Mario Kranjac.
The event took place at Jersey Girl Brewing, a brew pub near Budd Lake. Besides making a gubernatorial endorsement, the crowd also voted on which deli provided the best sub sandwiches. There were about five choices.
Said Ciattarelli in a social media post after the vote:
“Momentum continues in our fight to flip NJ red & deliver for the people of NJ.”
Spadea said before the vote Republicans need to do some thinking.
“We better nominate the right guy … who is up to the task,” he said.
Ciattarelli caused shock waves in GOP circles a few weeks ago circulating a photo of him with President Trump.
In the relatively speaking, distant past, Ciattarelli had been critical of Trump, but now says he is full-blown MAGA.
In fact, Spadea has been criticized for not being pro-Trump enough.
Spadea asked the audience not to believe “all the negativity” about him.
Bramnick did not attend. A surrogate spoke on his behalf.
Kranjac was on hand. The former mayor of Englewood Cliffs got into the race a bit late, but clearly wants to be seen as the most-Trumpy candidate.
In fact, his press releases often refer to him as a one time “Trumpy mayor.”
A recent release highlights a Web ad in which Kranjac talks about not imposing any COVID lockdowns in Englewood Cliffs.
Here is part of what he said:
“It’s very important for people to have medical freedom. If you want to get a vaccine, be my guest. That’s fine. If you don’t, that’s fine too. When it started, there were parts of our society that needed to be protected; the elderly and people with comorbidities. Everyone else was fine; it was the flu. I believe in science and I wish everyone who had required vaccines for everybody also believed in science. I wish our government, including Dr. Fauci and all the people around him, would not have funded the dual-use technologies that we’ve all suffered because of.”
Spadea, who apparently sees Kranjac as a threat from the right, challenged his nominating petitions, but to no avail.
Speaking of votes., in case you are wondering, the winner of the best sub contest was:
(Drum Roll). The Green Village Deli in Harding Township.
In a surprising turn of events, Jack Ciattarelli emerged victorious in the Morris County straw poll over his opponent, Phil Rizzo, who was endorsed by conservative radio host Bill Spadea. The straw poll, which was conducted by Insider NJ, is seen as an early indicator of support for the Republican gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming primary election.
Ciattarelli’s win in Morris County is significant as it is a traditionally conservative stronghold in New Jersey. His victory over Rizzo, who has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, demonstrates Ciattarelli’s ability to appeal to a broad base of Republican voters.
The result of the straw poll is likely to shake up the dynamics of the Republican primary race. Rizzo, who has been positioning himself as the outsider candidate, now faces a setback in his campaign. On the other hand, Ciattarelli’s win in Morris County could give him a boost in fundraising and momentum heading into the final stretch of the primary campaign.
It is important to note that the straw poll is not a definitive indicator of who will ultimately win the Republican nomination for governor. However, it does provide valuable insights into the preferences of Republican voters in Morris County and could influence the strategies of the candidates moving forward.
As the primary election draws closer, all eyes will be on Ciattarelli and Rizzo as they continue to battle for the Republican nomination. With Ciattarelli’s win in the Morris County straw poll, it is clear that he has solidified his position as a frontrunner in the race.
