As the 2025 gubernatorial elections approach, New Jersey’s Jack Ciattarelli and Virginia’s Winsome Earle-Sears are the sole Republican candidates vying for the state governorships. Both are increasingly adopting the Make America Great Again (MAGA) campaign strategies championed by President Donald Trump, positioning themselves as the leading faces of the GOP’s presidential-style campaign tactics.
Ciattarelli, who launched his third gubernatorial bid, has aligned closely with Trump’s policies, advocating for the end of state-level sanctuary protections for undocumented immigrants, the implementation of a voter ID system, and reduced spending and taxes. His campaign highlights New Jersey’s shift towards the GOP following Trump’s 2024 election performance, where the state flipped five counties and cut its 2020 deficit by 10 points. Trump’s endorsement of Ciattarelli in 2025 has further bolstered his campaign, with the president praising Ciattarelli as a “Jersey Guy” fully committed to MAGA principles.
In addition to policy alignment, Ciattarelli has been adopting Trump’s aggressive political tactics, recently hosting a “Return to the Wildwoods Rally” in South Jersey, a site of Trump’s 2024 event. The rally marked a shift in the state’s political landscape, drawing MAGA influencers and demonstrating the growing influence of Trump’s brand in New Jersey. Despite past criticism of Trump, Ciattarelli now credits the former president for securing the border and improving economic conditions in the state, with the candidate asserting that “Trump has been right about everything he’s doing.”
Meanwhile, in Virginia, Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears is also capitalizing on Trump’s political influence, despite her prior criticism of the former president. Earle-Sears, who previously stated that the GOP should “move on” from Trump, is now echoing his aggressive debate tactics, such as interrupting opponents and focusing on issues like border control and economic deregulation. Her campaign strategy, which includes leveraging Trump’s “Axe of Tax” plan to cut car taxes and income taxes on tipped wages, aligns closely with his MAGA platform. However, unlike Ciattarelli, Trump has not endorsed Earle-Sears, though her campaign has expressed its “honor” in aligning with his policies and results.
Both candidates are navigating the final stages of their campaigns with intense energy, using Trump’s influence to shape their messages and energize their bases. For Ciattarelli, this includes threatening a defamation lawsuit against Democratic opponent Mikie Sherrill over allegations of profiting from the opioid crisis, while Earle-Sears has challenged her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, to take a stand on a controversial state Republican in a recent debate. These tactics reflect the growing impact of Trump’s political style on state-level campaigns, even as the former president remains off the ballot in the 2025 elections.
As the November 4 election draws near, the alignment of these two GOP candidates with Trump’s MAGA platform underscores a broader trend of the Republican Party embracing his leadership style and policies at the state level. Whether this strategy will translate into electoral success remains to be seen, but for now, both Ciattarelli and Earle-Sears are positioning themselves as the leading faces of a MAGA-influenced GOP in the 2025 elections.