Rogers endorses Ciattarelli, vouches for his pro-Trump credentials

TRENTON, N.J. – One of New Jersey’s most vocal Trump activists is on Team Ciattarelli.

“Jack Ciattarelli is without question the best candidate New Jersey Republicans can nominate to defeat Phil Murphy and grow a conservative grassroots coalition to fix New Jersey and revitalize the New Jersey Republican Party,” said former Trump Campaign Advisory Board Member Steve Rogers, a retired Naval officer, Nutley Commissioner and police lieutenant. “Like other conservative friends across the state and the country, I have watched Jack’s support for President Trump and his policies grow over the past four years. “

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Rogers – who also makes semi-regular appearances on Fox Business – derives his influence with some Garden State Trump circles from his very early support of the president back at a time when few New Jersey Republicans with titles were willing to back the former New York real estate mogul and reality television star.

Today’s endorsement was obviously timed to coincide with NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt’s own primary campaign launch; Steinhardt is expected to paint Ciattarelli as insufficiently supportive of Trump. At one point in late 2015, Ciattarelli strongly criticized Trump in an interview, dismissing the future president as “a charlatan who is out of step with American values.” Rogers clearly hopes to help Ciattarelli blunt these anticipated attacks.

Rogers tipped his hand late last month when he authored an op-ed criticizing Steinhardt for working at a politically powerful firm populated by powerful Democrats.

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