Actor and producer Kelsey Grammer has lent his voice to Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in a recent campaign video, calling for “honest leadership” and a revival of “state pride” as the race against U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) heats up.
Known for his role in Frasier, Grammer narrates a short video discussing the changes New Jersey has undergone. “When I was younger, people stood up for what was right. They didn’t wait for someone else to fix things. It feels like we’ve lost that spirit over the last decade. Taxes keep rising, crime is increasing, and Trenton is full of politicians making promises but not delivering.”
He goes on to say:
“It’s time to lower taxes and allow families to breathe again. We need to protect girls and maintain fairness in women’s sports. New Jersey should be safe again, and we have to stop the overdevelopment that encroaches on our suburbs. Families shouldn’t have to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table. It’s also time we restore integrity, accountability, and pride to Trenton. We must believe in honest leadership again and revive the promise of this nation. Jack Ciattarelli offers guidance to all who love New Jersey with strength, civility, and respect. We’ve waited long enough. It’s time.”
Ciattarelli remarked, “Kelsey Grammer grew up in New Jersey, and like many of us, he understands that we’ve strayed from our path. We need to restore honest leadership, lower taxes, ensure safer communities, and bring back pride in our state. It’s time for real change.”
This ad comes as tensions rise in Ciattarelli’s campaign. Sherrill’s camp faced backlash over remarks made by Dr. Ibrar Nadeem, the campaign’s Muslim support officer, who voiced his religious opposition to same-sex marriage during a “Muslims for Jack” event. Sherrill and her team condemned these comments, while Ciattarelli defended himself, asserting his support for same-sex marriage and claimed Sherrill misrepresented both his and Nadeem’s views.
“You know I support same-sex marriage,” Ciattarelli stated on Monday. “The full text of Dr. Nadeem’s statement makes it clear. He was discussing the backlash he faced from some individuals, addressing my strong support for the Jewish community and Israel, as well as my efforts to build connections between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. These desperate lies will backfire.”
This exchange follows previous conversations surrounding Sherrill’s campaign. She has reportedly received at least $65,000 from Ping Ni, a Chinese-born auto executive with documented connections to the Chinese Communist Party and who has been accused of giving false statements. In a recent gubernatorial debate, Ciattarelli responded to allegations from Sherrill, suggesting through his former publisher that she had made serious accusations against him, prompting him to consider legal action for defamation.
Current public polls indicate a tight race, with Sherrill leading by a narrow margin. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll shows her approval at 52%, compared to Ciattarelli’s 45%, while a Quinnipiac University poll reflects a Democratic lead of 50% over a Republican 44%.
