Who Jack Ciattarelli is has just changed – practically overnight.

Throughout the run-up to the primary he won Tuesday, Ciattarelli’s right wing opponents accused him of, among other things, being a RINO and a “never Trumper.”

That was then; now is now.

Today, just hours after he officially became the Republican candidate for governor, Ciattarelli was labeled as a guy who has “consistently aligned himself with Trump’s extreme agenda.”

That’s what the Phil Murphy campaign had to say this afternoon.

Clearly, Ciattarelli can’t be both of the individuals described. In fact, he probably isn’t even one of them.

But if nothing else, politics is prone to silly exaggerations as the two top examples prove.

The latter example also shows another thing.

Besides touting such accomplishments as a higher minimum wage, good schools and tax fairness, it looks like Murphy is going to tie Ciattarelli to Donald Trump as we move into the five-month slog to November.

Today’s statement, which officially was about the governor’s willingness to debate,  points out that Ciattarelli has called Trump’s policies “very successful” and that he appeared and spoke at a Stop the Steal rally.

The only thing here not debatable is that perception is in the eyes of the beholder.