with just four weeks to go before the primary a new poll shows two candidates are leading the pack in the crowded race for governor according to an AARP New Jersey and Sienna College poll released today Democratic Congresswoman Mikey Cheryl and former GOP Assemblyman Jack Chidarelli are the favorites at least among voters aged 50 and over who historically have the highest turnout rates in elections cheryl pled at 25% among Democrats while Chidarelli led with 47% of support among Republicans now this week President Trump solidified Chidurelli's frontr runner status endorsing him in what is now Chidarelli's third attempt at being governor but will the president's backing be enough to move the needle senior political correspondent David Cruz takes a look [Music] for months we've been saying how this endorsement was the key to winning this Republican primary and now that it's official that the president likes Jack Chidarelli a lot of people including Jack Chidarelli we're talking like it's game over harris the president's endorsing me because he knows I offer the best chance for us to win in November and mark my words we are going to win donald Trump endorsed a poll not a plan posted rival Bill Spadia after the announcement spadia supporters say the president's blessing notwithstanding real Jersey conservatives will still choose Spadia they find some hope in the Eagleton poll showing that Republican voters are split over whether a Trump endorsement would sway their vote one way or the other poll director Ashley Coning says yes and no we had a split of about 46% to 46% on this question and frankly the candidate who is in the lead right now on the Republican side is the one who got the endorsement so you know this just kind of will bolster him among that almost half of Republicans and really won't make a difference among the other half now if that endorsement went to another candidate besides the the front runner right now with Chidarelli um then it could maybe be a different story for those half of Republicans who say it would make a difference better to have it than not have it says Assemblyman Brian Bergen a Chidarelli supporter who said not too long ago that a Trump endorsement wasn't such a big deal today he's singing a different tune i think I told you back then that I felt like there it was all risk no reward for President Trump to do it but Chidelli has demonstrated a clear path as the front runner so it was it was the best possible move by Trump a smart move and it really solidified Jack Chidurelli there's no doubt Jack Chidurelli now is going to win the primary with this endorsement as a general election candidate a nominee for the party he was still going to be labeled the Trump candidate no matter how far he tried to distance himself from it so I think his rationale is let's go get that endorsement do whatever we can to solidify our base and put ourselves in a stronger base position as we head into the election democrats including some fearing a Republican victory in the fall say the case against Chidurelli is made stronger with the president's backing i think that makes a lot of sense because Jack Chidarelli has kissed his butt for a very long time to earn that endorsement i think Chidurelli is a a a Trumpster i believe it i think Spadia is too i just think Spadia has a little bit more guts than Chidarelli so he's going to say what he means mail-in ballots are already arriving in mailboxes and early voting is in just 19 days the Trump endorsement mystery now resolved the next question for Republicans is what will it mean for the recipient of that golden ticket come June 10th i'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight News [Music]