New Jersey police union endorses Ciattarelli, backing Trump-backed candidate for governor

The New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli on Tuesday, a rare move for the state’s police union and a sign of shifting alignment on law-enforcement issues in New Jersey. Ciattarelli, a former state Assembly member who is among the Republicans backed by former President Donald Trump, welcomed the endorsement in a post on X.

The NJ FOP has not always endorsed a gubernatorial candidate; its most recent endorsement went to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2016. Ciattarelli said the backing would help him prioritize law enforcement and pledged strong police support from the governor, the attorney general, and his administration. "As Governor, they will have it from me, the Attorney General, and my entire administration," he wrote in the endorsement message. "In a number of ways, the job of law enforcement has never been more difficult, which is why recruitment, retention and morale is down. We can change all that by restoring respect for authority, law and order and, most of all, the men and women in blue who are trained and dedicated professionals very much committed to serving and protecting."

Ciattarelli, 63, is a business owner who previously ran for governor in 2017, finishing runner-up in the Republican primary. In 2021 he secured the GOP nomination but fell short of ousting Murphy in a race that narrowed late. He has proposed repealing the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive on his first day in office, which restricts local police from working closely with federal immigration authorities, and he has said he would direct the attorney general to withdraw lawsuits against the Trump administration. "Law enforcement needs the support of our political leadership, and as governor they will have it from me," Ciattarelli said in remarks tied to the endorsement.

In discussing the campaign’s trajectory, Ciattarelli told Fox 5 New York that recent surveys predicting he is behind Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., show the same pattern as two weeks before his 2021 loss. "This is the same polling that had me down double digits with two weeks to go last time. We’ve got it as a dead heat, as does my opponent," he said.

The endorsement aligns Ciattarelli with the political footprint often associated with Trump, a factor shaping the race even as the former president is not on the ballot in 2025. Analysts note New Jersey remains competitive in statewide races, with Murphy maintaining leads in some polls but Ciattarelli remaining a visible alternative for voters prioritizing public safety and immigration policy. The endorsement could help Ciattarelli consolidate support from police unions and Republican-leaning voters as he tries to broaden his base in a state that has trended Democratic in statewide races in recent years.