MOUNT OLIVE - It was a day for craft beer, a variety of subs, and for Jack Ciattarelli, a win.

Ciattarelli confirmed his frontrunner status last Saturday by winning a straw poll conducted by the Morris County Republican Clubs Alliance. (That is distinct from the county's Republican Committee).

The tally was 42 for Ciattarelli, 20 for Bill Spadea, 8 for Jon Bramnick, 5 for Juston Barbera and 4 for Mario Kranjac.

The event took place at Jersey Girl Brewing, a brew pub near Budd Lake. Besides making a gubernatorial endorsement, the crowd also voted on which deli provided the best sub sandwiches. There were about five choices.

Said Ciattarelli in a social media post after the vote:

"Momentum continues in our fight to flip NJ red & deliver for the people of NJ."

Spadea said before the vote Republicans need to do some thinking.

"We better nominate the right guy ... who is up to the task," he said.

Ciattarelli caused shock waves in GOP circles a few weeks ago circulating a photo of him with President Trump.

In the relatively speaking, distant past, Ciattarelli had been critical of Trump, but now says he is full-blown MAGA.

In fact, Spadea has been criticized for not being pro-Trump enough.

Spadea asked the audience not to believe "all the negativity" about him.

Bramnick did not attend. A surrogate spoke on his behalf.

Kranjac was on hand. The former mayor of Englewood Cliffs got into the race a bit late, but clearly wants to be seen as the most-Trumpy candidate.

In fact, his press releases often refer to him as a one time "Trumpy mayor."

A recent release highlights a Web ad in which Kranjac talks about not imposing any COVID lockdowns in Englewood Cliffs.

Here is part of what he said:

"It's very important for people to have medical freedom. If you want to get a vaccine, be my guest. That's fine. If you don't, that's fine too. When it started, there were parts of our society that needed to be protected; the elderly and people with comorbidities. Everyone else was fine; it was the flu. I believe in science and I wish everyone who had required vaccines for everybody also believed in science.  I wish our government, including Dr. Fauci and all the people around him, would not have funded the dual-use technologies that we've all suffered because of."

Spadea, who apparently sees Kranjac as a threat from the right, challenged his nominating petitions, but to no avail.

Speaking of votes., in case you are wondering, the winner of the best sub contest was:

(Drum Roll). The Green Village Deli in Harding Township.