by Farooq Mirza
NJ – October 23, 2025 – In a heartfelt address to students and leaders at Rutgers University-Newark’s Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education on Thursday evening, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli shared his personal story, outlined his vision for a revitalized New Jersey, and committed to combating rising anti-Semitism in the state. Speaking just 12 days before the November 4 election, the former state assemblyman and business owner positioned himself as a dedicated public servant focused on economic growth, education reform, and interfaith unity—while drawing a stark contrast to his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
Ciattarelli, who lost a narrow race to incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021 but has surged in recent polls, opened with optimism about his campaign’s momentum. “New Jersey makes up its mind in about 12 days, and we’re in a very, very good position,” he said. “We’ll finish strong… and then we’ll count the votes. But I am very, very positive about the outcome.”
Much of the 45-minute speech centered on Ciattarelli’s blue-collar upbringing in Raritan, Somerset County, as a testament to New Jersey’s promise of opportunity. He recounted how his Italian immigrant grandparents arrived a century ago, with his grandfather rising from a water company laborer to a successful independent contractor during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. His father spent 38 years in public service, while his mother worked midnight shifts at Johnson & Johnson and co-owned a local restaurant.
“Every dime they made went to their four children—roof over our head, meal on the table, clothes on our back, and education,” Ciattarelli said, noting he was the only sibling to attend Seton Hall University. He joked about the “fierce rivalry” in basketball between Seton Hall and Rutgers, adding, “We don’t have to worry about losing you in football because we don’t have a football.”
Emphasizing his parents’ “unmatched integrity and work ethic,” Ciattarelli said they instilled in him the belief that “the American promise was there for all—but it’s up to us to take advantage through our own hard work.” As a two-time business owner with an MBA and CPA from Seton Hall, he transitioned into medical publishing before entering politics.
“Why am I running for governor?” he posed, answering: “I want today’s New Jerseyans—and future generations—to achieve their American dream right here in New Jersey.” He decried current challenges, including high property taxes, a housing crisis, spiking nonviolent crime, and a perception that over half of residents feel the state is heading in the wrong direction. “Two out of three are looking to leave,” he claimed. “That’s not the state I want to be governor of.”
Turning to the audience, Ciattarelli made a pointed outreach to the Jewish community, calling anti-Semitism “at an all-time high around the globe… in the United States… and sadly, in New Jersey on a per capita basis more than any other state.” He pledged to make curbing it a top priority, declaring, “No candidate in history has spent the time in the Jewish community that Jack Ciattarelli has.”
The Republican highlighted his inclusion of Rabbi Avi Richler—a self-described “brother”—in his inner circle of advisers, a first for any gubernatorial candidate. He shared a recent trip to Israel, which he described as a “magnificent spiritual” experience that inspired him and strengthened business ties. “Israel businesses do $14 billion a year in bilateral trade with New York… less than $2 billion with New Jersey. What does New York have that we don’t? Nothing,” he said, vowing to boost economic partnerships as governor.
To foster unity in the nation’s most diverse state, Ciattarelli promised to revive the dormant Governor’s Interfaith Council for monthly dialogues at Drumthwacket and attend two houses of worship each month—synagogues, temples, churches, or mosques. He advocated introducing a diversity curriculum in public schools from an early age to teach respect and the “power and beauty in our diversity.”
On college campuses, where protests two years ago heightened tensions, he was unequivocal: “Any student that violates university policy should be dealt with accordingly. Any student that breaks the law should be arrested. And any student here on an academic visa that does either should be sent back.” He endorsed the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and stressed that no one should feel “threatened or unsafe” in New Jersey communities.
The speech transitioned into a robust Q&A, where Ciattarelli fielded questions on key issues affecting Orthodox families and the broader electorate.
Responding to concerns about the high cost of private Jewish schooling, he endorsed a universal school choice voucher program modeled after successes in Florida, Arizona, and Ohio. “The vast majority of our Jewish citizens send their children to private school,” he noted. “I’m looking to adopt… a voucher program effective 2027 if the governor opts in.” He accused Sherrill of being “owned by the teachers’ union” and unwilling to opt in, contrasting his plan to provide tax credits for private school families.
On higher education affordability—a pain point with tuition costs soaring alongside a 64% state budget increase under Murphy—Ciattarelli called for partnerships with university presidents to curb expenses and reduce student debt. He promoted community colleges, where an associate’s degree costs under $18,000, as a competitive pressure on four-year schools. “We cannot allow [costs] to continue to skyrocket,” he said.
Economic revitalization was a recurring theme. To stem brain drain, he praised a Missouri program refunding out-of-state tuition for graduates who stay and work locally for three years. For small businesses, he proposed tax exemptions on the first $100,000 of income, payroll, and capital gains from sales—drawing from his own experience selling two companies. “It’s no fun cutting that check [to the state] at closing,” he quipped.
In healthcare, particularly nursing homes, he advocated shifting from inadequate Medicaid rates to Medicare levels and pushing the federal government via the National Governors Association to cover 100% of Medicaid costs, questioning why it funds all of Medicare but only half of Medicaid.
Ciattarelli wrapped up by affirming his commitment: “This is not a job I need, but it is a job I want—on your behalf, on our behalf.” Unlike past governors eyeing Washington, he vowed, “This is my final destination… When you send me home in four years, I’m going to the beach in Surf City.”
The event, hosted at the Englewood-based center, drew applause for Ciattarelli’s emphasis on inclusivity and pragmatism. Attendees praised his authenticity, with one student noting, “He gets the struggles of families like mine—high costs, safety concerns, and keeping our kids here.”
As the race tightens—recent Rutgers-Eagleton polling shows Sherrill leading 50-45%—Ciattarelli’s pitch underscores his campaign’s focus on fiscal responsibility, opportunity, and healing divisions. Early voting begins Saturday, with Election Day looming. For more on the candidates,
