RARITAN - On a rain-plastered Tuesday, Election Day, the door to DeLucia's Brick Oven Pizza flew open and a roar from within welcomed favorite son Jack Ciattarelli, whose Italian immigrant grandparetns settled in this factory river town 100 years ago.

The frontrunner for the GOP nomination in the Republican Primary for Governor stepped inside and immediately found the embrace of former state Senator Kip Bateman (R-16), his longtime legislative slate mate.

Ciattarelli found a lot of people here he knew, like state Senator Doug Steinhardt and Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio, Republican diehards Janet Linnus and Cathy Callahan from the Republican Federation of Republican Women, former Bound Brook Mayor Carey Pilato, and many others.

The mood was hearty and fine.

This was where the Ciattarelli family had pizza on Friday nights.

InsiderNJ asked Ciattarelli about Mikie Sherrill's charge that he kissed "Trump's a--" when he went to the Bedminster Golf Course earlier this election cycle.

"Listen, when people are calling you names it's usually a sign that they're very worried about your candidacy," the Republican said. "We're going to focus on the issues of concern to the people of New Jersey."

Does he want to run against any of the six Democrats more than the others?

No.

"Every single one of them is complicit in Phil Murphy's failed agenda in the highest property taxed state in the country, where people are paying high electric bills and we have flash mobs on the shore," Ciattarelli said. "Every single one of them is complicit. They broke it and they own it."

Veteran NJ Spotlight News Reporter Brenda Flanagan peppered Ciattarelli with questions.

"We've worked very hard put ourselves in position to win," the candidate told Flanagan. "We've worked all 21 counties."

What about Trump, though?

In the general.

"He's on top of the issues that matter to New Jersey voters," Ciattarelli said. "He wants to quadruple our salt tax deductions so we can deduct property taxes on our fed tax returns. I'm honored to have his endorsement and welcome his active involvement.

"People do not want us to be a sanctuary state," he added. "They want support for local law enforcement, so we don't have things like flash mobs like we had at the Jersey Shore."

Flanagan asked Ciattarelli about Republican Primary rival Bill Spadea's comment that Trump - in backing Ciattarelli for governor - backed a poll, not a candidate.

"I don't pay too much attention to what Bill Spadea says," Ciattarelli said. "I'm going to extend my hand tomorrow. We'll reach out to him. He's only one person."

While Ciattarelli campaigned, the NJGOP sent out an email blast linking to an NJ.com story:

"Big news from NJ.com this morning! Republicans are seeing massive voter registration gains across New Jersey. In county after county, we're closing the gap -- or even surpassing Democrats.  This momentum is real, and it's happening fast."