Updated Jun 9, 2021 - Politics & Policy
Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli wins GOP gubernatorial primary in N.J.
Jack Ciattarelli, Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey, during a rally in Somerville, New Jersey, on Tuesday. Photor: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Businessman Jack Ciattarelli won the Republican nomination for governor in the New Jersey primary election Tuesday, AP reports.
Of note: The former N.J. Assembly member, who was accused of being a "never Trumper," defeated pastor Phil Rizzo and engineer Hirsh Singh, who were both vocal supporters of former President Trump, AP notes.
- Ciattarelli called Trump "not fit to be president" and said he didn't vote for him in 2016, according to the Garden State Times.
- But the former Goldman Sachs executive later told WPMG that Trump had "earned my faith and confidence in the sense that his policies worked for the nation."
What's next: Ciattarelli, who has previously served as U.S. ambassador to Germany, will next face incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in the gubernatorial election in November.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.