Post endorses Jack Ciattarelli for New Jersey governor

The New York Post endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli for New Jersey governor, arguing that voters in the blue-leaning state deserve relief from what it describes as high utility costs, rising taxes and other Democratic policies under Gov. Phil Murphy. The endorsement portrays Ciattarelli as a practical alternative who could reverse what the newspaper characterizes as a persistent drag on New Jersey’s economy and quality of life. The Post notes Ciattarelli’s prior close bid against Murphy in 2021 and frames his campaign as a chance to change direction in an off-year election that has drawn national attention.

The editorial casts Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic congresswoman seeking to succeed Murphy, as tethered to the Murphy agenda — including through the state’s energy and education policies. It highlights Sherrill’s stated focus on affordability but contends her plan relies on additional public spending, targeting “bad actors,” and continuing the state’s aggressive push on clean energy and diversity initiatives in schools. The piece also criticizes Sherrill for opposing parental opt‑outs from LGBTQ education and for backing what it describes as costly, ongoing energy mandates tied to the broader Energy Master Plan. The editorial asserts that Sherrill would expand the same tax structures and regulatory approach that it says have kept New Jersey’s utility rates and taxes among the nation’s highest.

By contrast, the Post endorses Ciattarelli’s call to reduce personal and business taxes, constrain state spending growth to the inflation rate, and repeal or reverse policies it says have driven up costs for residents and businesses. It argues that Ciattarelli would scrap sanctuary-state policies and push a revised Energy Master Plan aimed at stabilizing prices by expanding affordable, reliable energy sources while rolling back mandatory electrification mandates for vehicles and home appliances that the paper says have contributed to higher bills. The editorial emphasizes the candidate’s pledge to reevaluate bail reform and to appoint judges who would keep repeat offenders behind bars, asserting that public safety concerns require a different approach to criminal justice than what the post is calling current policy.

The piece also highlights Ciattarelli’s support for charter schools and school choice as a means to provide more options for families, arguing that expanding opportunities in education could help address long-standing quality-of-life concerns in the state. It notes the publication’s view that the Garden State has leaned blue for years, but that the current level of political and fiscal strain has tested voters’ tolerance for continued trajectories.

Context around public sentiment and polling reinforces the effectiveness of the endorsement in the race. An Emerson College poll conducted last week showed the contest in a dead heat, with Ciattarelli and Sherrill each at 43% support. The political dynamic is further complicated by national party dynamics: the Democratic National Committee recently increased its spending in New Jersey by $3 million for the off-year contest, a level of financial attention the Post notes as a sign of the race’s significance to both parties.

The editorial underscores the broader debate over energy policy in New Jersey, where the Energy Master Plan and related decarbonization efforts have been a focal point of statewide politics. Critics argue that ambitious green-energy objectives come with steep price tags for consumers, while supporters say the long-term benefits include cleaner power and more stable energy markets. The Post cites a report from Affordable Energy for New Jersey estimating a high price tag for the state’s energy transition, illustrating the tension between environmental goals and household affordability that shapes the gubernatorial race.

In laying out his vision, Ciattarelli emphasizes reducing the cost of living for New Jersey residents and making the state more business-friendly. He argues that cutting taxes at both the individual and corporate levels could unleash market forces that lower prices, while limiting fiscal growth to match inflation would curb budget-driven pressure on taxpayers. He also advocates restoring a more conventional approach to public safety and criminal justice, arguing that a steadier, more predictable policy environment is essential for attracting investment and improving daily life for residents.

Ultimately, the endorsement frames Ciattarelli as the candidate who can deliver the changes voters say they want: lower taxes, restrained spending, more educational options, a reoriented energy strategy, and a criminal-justice framework that prioritizes accountability. For The New York Post, the choice pits a candidate who would depart from the Murphy agenda against an incumbent-aligned challenger who, in the editorial’s view, would preserve or exacerbate the policies that the publication says have left New Jersey residents paying more for days, months and years they would rather forget. The endorsement signals a national audience that, in this particular gubernatorial contest, the direction of state policy could hinge on questions of cost, safety and school governance, and it positions Ciattarelli as the vehicle for a markedly different path in the Garden State.