New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli issued a promise to supporters to keep up the fight in the election that was narrowly decided for Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, but all ''legal votes'' must first be counted.
''Currently, Gov. Murphy and I are separated by about 1% after 2.4 million ballots counted,'' Ciattarelli said in his latest Jack Chat video posted Thursday on Twitter. ''There are still tens of thousand vote by mail and provisional ballots yet to be counted.
''And so, the governor's victory speech last night was premature. No one should be declaring victory or conceding the election until every legal vote is counted.''
After Newsmax and other media outlets called the race for Murphy, the incumbent governor delivered a victory speech Wednesday night, which Ciattarelli's campaign also called premature.
''Two days ago, shock waves were sent throughout our state and the national political world, all because a Republican was in position to win the race for governor here in New Jersey,'' Ciattarelli's Jack Chat began. ''Despite what the polls, press and pundits were saying, I knew I could win.
''Why? Because every time a governor of this state has taken us too far off track, the decent, hardworking people of New Jersey have always risen up and said, 'That's not where we want to go.'''
Ciattarelli said calls for recounts or audits will not come before all legal votes are counted.
''We're going to allow the 21 counties to continue with the process of counting every legal vote and provisional ballot,'' he said. ''That could take another week or two, and we've got compliance people watching over that. If necessary, any decision on a recount or audit will come at the very end of the counting process, not before.''
Ciattarelli added a warning for people not to fall victim to wild online conspiracy theories about the integrity of the vote.
''I don't want people falling victim to wild conspiracy theories or online rumors,'' he continued. ''While consideration is paid to any and all credible reports, please don't believe everything you see or read online.''
He did give his voters a hotline to call if they have credible claims to make about vote integrity, however.
''You can report any perceived or real irregularity to the voter integrity hotline set up by the NJGOP: The number is 609-288-2925,'' he added.
First and foremost, he urged his supporters to ''let the process play out.''
''Listen, I know how passionate people are about this election and the future of our state,'' he said. ''I am too. That's why I worked so very hard the past 22 months to win this election and get New Jersey on a different path forward.
''Right now, what's most important is for everyone to be patient and let the process play out.''
Ciattarelli finished with a promise to ensure the integrity of the New Jersey gubernatorial election amid the noise.
''Know this: My team is comprised of some of the best legal and political experts in the country,'' he concluded. ''I promise you, whatever the outcome, the election result will be legal and fair.
''You have my word. Hopefully, we'll be fixing New Jersey together.''
Eric Mack ✉
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.
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