Powerful NJ mayor, a Dem, backs Ciattarelli in surprising political twist

🔴 More New Jersey Democrats are backing Republican Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign for governor.

🔴 North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco, a powerful longtime Democrat, endorsed Ciattarelli.

More bad news for the former Navy pilot as another New Jersey Democrat mayor has endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli for governor.

Ciattarelli has received official support from North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco, a Democrat who served in the state Senate for 30 years.

Sacco, who is also a former local assistant superintendent, is a strong critic of the Murphy administration's cuts in state aid for some Hudson County schools.

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"Jack has been consistently responsive and pledged to stand with North Bergen and ensure that our community — and others like it across New Jersey — receive the resources and attention they deserve," Sacco said in an Instagram post.

The Republican candidate also received an endorsement from Sacco ally Anthony Vainieri, former chair of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

Growing list of Democrats backing Ciattarelli

Around a dozen former and current Democrats have endorsed Ciattarelli, the Hudson County View reported.

Last month, the Democratic mayors of Garfield and Dover crossed the aisle and endorsed the former Republican assemblyman.

The cross-party support carries echoes of former Gov. Chris Christie receiving an endorsement from Brian Stack in 2013 that helped his re-election bid.

Stack, the Democratic mayor of Union City and a sitting state senator, was one of several Hudson County Democrats to endorse Christie at the time.

Brian Stack backs Mikie Sherrill instead

However, this time around, Stack is endorsing Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.

"She'll be a governor that listens to our needs, that understands the community, that understands an urban area like the one I represent here," Stack said.

READ MORE: New York Times panel gives Mikie Sherrill cold shoulder

It's a silver lining for Sherrill, who couldn't even garner majority support from a Democratic-leaning panel assembled by The New York Times.

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