BRIDGEWATER - Baking in the sun, the fires of Canada always threatening to ignite, this sprawling Somerset County town this morning furnished Jack Ciattarelli with the municipal building and machines to exercise his franchise.

A crowd of backers came out to back the favorite in the Republican Primary for Governor and Ciattarelli graciously posed for pictures and engaged in numerous conversations on his way in to participate in early voting.

They know him around here, and some of the people grabbing his hand or embracing him go way back, to when Ciattarelli served as a Somerset County Commissioner (then called 'Freeholder').

"Happy to have the President's support," the candidate told InsiderNJ.

The former Assemblyman noted that his affordability agenda, connectivity with voters and voters' issues, and considerable fundraising went a long way to making Trump comfortable with providing his political support in the form of an endorsement.

Without looking past the GOP Primary, "Absolutely," Ciattarelli said, when asked if the issues at the national level will impact the general election here in New Jersey, should he prevail on June 10th.

If voters give him the nomination, he said he is prepared to make the case for the Republicans' national agenda under President Trump, with strong stances in opposition to illegal immigration and in favor of law enforcement.

A candidate for governor in 2017 and in 2021 (when he came within four points of upsetting Democratic incumbent Governor Phil Murphy), Ciattarelli faces radio personality Bill Spadea, state Senator Jon Bramnick, and Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac in Tuesday's primary election.

Ciattarelli has a strong edge to prevail.

A poll by Emerson College and The Hill found Ciattarelli leading the Republican pack with 44% of voters’ support, to Spadea’s 18%.