The Republican candidate for governor, Jack Ciattarelli, told “FOX News Sunday” that he’s very confident he can win next month, where he’s only four points behind in the RCP average of polls, and he plans to sue Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill for saying he was “complicit” in the deaths of thousands.

JACK CIATTARELLI: Shannon, not to be disagreeable, but our polls have it much closer. And I think it’s the reason why you’ve seen my opponent get so desperate with her attacks or blatant lies. One of which is going to land her in court. You know, Shannon, I only have 2021 to compare this to. You remember how close that was? I really thought we were going to win this race, that race. This one is very different. The energy across the state is electric. The reception in minority communities has been great. And I’m being endorsed by prominent Democrats. That tells you all you need to know in terms of the people in New Jersey wanting change. And that’s what this election is all about, change. … SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS: OK, so another issue impacting your region there and your potential constituents is this Gateway [Hudson River tunnel project]. It’s a major project where the president has said he’s going to freeze or block billions of dollars, which impacts transit through New Jersey and New York. enate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, he says this in part on X: “Donald Trump is trying to kill it again. It’s pure spite and stupidity. It’s petty revenge politics that would screw hundreds of thousands of New York and New Jersey commuters, choke off our economy and kill good-paying jobs.” Your opponent says you’re not standing up to the president on this issue to the detriment of the folks there in New Jersey. Your response? CIATTARELLI: First, let’s get the facts straight for those in the public that may be listening to my opponent. The project doesn’t stop. The Gateway project is managed by the Gateway Commission. It has cash. It then seeks reimbursement from the federal government. The shutdown would have to continue for another one or two months before it impacts that project. The president is playing hardball negotiation, and I don’t blame him because the Democrats are wrong on this. So, I really do not see that Gateway project coming to an end. As governor, I’ll make sure it continues some way, somehow. It’s important for the governor to have a relationship with the president. I do. And by the way, with regard to the shutdown, when there were shutdowns during the Biden administration, my opponent voted yes for continuing resolutions. This time she’s voting no. It’s because she’s a hyper-partisan who’s not about New Jersey. She’s about partisan politics. BREAM: Okay, so to that issue of what a New Jersey governor would need to do with respect to the White House, we’ve got polling out from Quinnipiac this week. Trump — President Trump’s approval at 41 percent there in New Jersey. But also from that poll, Quinnipiac says this, “When it comes to issues affecting New Jersey, 50 percent of likely voters would like to see the next governor mainly stand up to President Trump, 47 percent say they’d like the governor to work with President Trump. How will you, if elected, balance those competing interests? CIATTARELLI: My job is to represent fiercely the 9.3 million people that live here. And so when the president’s right about New Jersey, I’m going to stand with the president, whoever he or she may be, whatever party they’re from. When they’re wrong, I have to get on the phone with the president and ask them to reconsider their positions. And so, I’ve always been independent in that way. I have no desires to go to Washington. I have only one desire, to serve the people of New Jersey, and I’ll do that fiercely.

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