Why Politicians Are Fighting Over Four-Letter Words in 'F------ New Jersey'

NJ Dems/Twitter New Jersey Democrat ad

The New Jersey Democratic State Committee released an unusual political ad this week — one rife with residents using colorful (but censored) language upon hearing the news that a Republican gubernatorial candidate once spearheaded an effort to ban the use of curse words.

"This is f------ New Jersey," one local exclaims in the ad.

"We can't let that a------ win," says another, referring to Republican candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli, who, in 1994, championed a ban on curse words in Jersey's Raritan Borough.

InsiderNJ.com reports that Ciattarelli was serving on the Raritan council at the time.

Under the proposed ordinance, those who violated the ban would have been fined $500. While it had unanimous approval from the town council, the 1994 measure ultimately did not pass due to opposition from the local police chief, who said it violated the First Amendment.

The New Jersey Democratic State Committee released its ad on Monday, urging voters to reelect Democrat Phil Murphy. "Jack Ciattarelli is so out of touch with New Jersey, he supported a ban on cursing in his town. Here's what some New Jerseyans had to say about that," the committee posted on Twitter to introduce the ad.

It opens with New Jersey residents being asked by an off-camera interviewer whether they can identify a photo of Ciattarelli. When they all say no, the interviewer tells them about the attempted ban.

"That's Jack Ciattarelli, the GOP candidate for governor," he says. "He once led an effort to ban swearing."

"You're s------- me," one woman replies.

"No f------ way," says another.

"Aww, that's kind of nice," one woman says with a smile, only offering her true feelings when the interviewer asks, "Really?"

"F--- no," she says.

The ad ends on a black screen with white letters that read, "Let's show Jack how New Jersey f------ does it. Vote November 2."

RELATED: New Jersey Gov. Bluntly Tells Residents That Following COVID Restrictions Is Better Than Death

The add mirrors the language used in a statement issued by Murphy's campaign earlier this month, per InsiderNJ.

"Republican gubernatorial candidate Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli is out of step with New Jersey — from his support for the Trump agenda to his opposition to public health measures to his attacks on LGBTQ inclusion and much more — but there is one issue where Ciattarelli's position might be even further outside the mainstream: his opposition to a favorite Garden State tradition, cursing," the statement read.

The statement continued: "While serving on the Raritan Borough Council in the 1990s, Ciattarelli voted for and championed a ban on cursing in the community — that's right, a ban on cursing. In New Jersey. What the f*ck was Ciattarelli thinking?"