N.J. GOP chairman Steinhardt running for governor in 2021: Report

The head of New Jersey’s Republican Party is jumping into next year’s race for governor.

NJ GOP chairman Doug Steinhardt will resign from his post atop the state party and enter the Republican primary, according to a New Jersey Globe report.

Steinhardt has been a vocal critic of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, especially over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s far past time for the Legislature to reign in these perpetual states of emergency. @GovMurphy is ruling (not governing) by fiat,” Steinhardt tweeted in November. “#NJ courts won’t decide our May 2020 lawsuit. Trenton Dems won’t stop runaway Murphy. Voters must.”

Murphy announced recently that he would run for a second term in next year’s gubernatorial race.

Former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli has also entered the race. Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union), announced Wednesday that he will not run for governor but instead run for reelection in the Assembly.