RNC Chair Calls New Jersey Election a “Turning Point” as GOP Races for Governor

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 04 November 2025 09:09 AM EST

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters hailed Tuesday’s Election Day as a “turning point” for New Jersey, framing the race for governor as critical to shifting the historically blue state. Gruters emphasized that voters could reject Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill’s policies, which he described as prioritizing tax hikes and broken promises over families’ interests.

“In today’s election, New Jersey voters have a choice: continue on a path of higher taxes and failed leadership or embrace common-sense solutions,” Gruters stated in a message shared with Newsmax. He praised GOP nominee Jack Ciattarelli for pledging to “lower taxes for every New Jerseyan” and “fight for working families.”

Gruters and Ciattarelli have prioritized the race, with the RNC mobilizing efforts to secure a Republican victory. Gruters traveled across New Jersey this weekend, visiting Hazlet, Leonardo, and Toms River to rally support. The campaign has also benefited from broader GOP momentum, including President Donald Trump’s recent presence in the state, which drew tens of thousands of attendees despite his 2024 presidential loss.

Ciattarelli, who nearly unseated outgoing Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, argued that this year’s race is more favorable due to the absence of pandemic restrictions and an incumbent governor. He claimed voters now recognize “the state no longer has to be run by a Democrat.”

Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.