New Jersey’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, Jack Ciattarelli, is defending one of his top aides who wants to ban same-sex marriage.

During a Muslims4Jack event held at Piscataway on Saturday, Ibrar Nadeem — who serves as Mr. Ciattarelli’s executive director for New Jersey Muslim relations — made the polarizing comments.

“We want to be in the rooms where decisions will be made,” Dr. Nadeem said. “We want to have a ban on same-sex marriage. I know my brother [Ciattarelli] voted against it, and he will do it again.”

The campaign director also responded to allegations that he had been “taking money from Jews,” according to Patch.

“I check my bank account every day, brother, it is not there,” he said before passing off the mic to Mr. Ciattarelli, who appeared to be unfazed by the shocking comments.

“Dr. Ibrar Nadeem, just once I wish you’d say exactly what’s on your mind,” he quipped before asking the crowd to give him another round of applause.

Mr. Ciattarelli’s opponent, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, called out the former congressman for supporting Dr. Nadeem’s comment on Tuesday after a video of the rally circulated online.

“A member of Jack’s ‘inner circle’ was caught on video spreading antisemitic and homophobic hate. Rather than condemn that language, Jack praised him. This kind of behavior has no place in New Jersey,” she said on X.

“This is disgusting,” a New Jersey Democratic Committee spokesman, Ryan Radulovacki, said to Patch in response to Dr, Nadeem’s comments. “On a normal campaign this individual would be fired immediately and denounced by the candidate.”

“But Jack took the stage AFTER him. And praised him.”

In a post on X, Mr. Ciattarelli responded to his opponent’s comments.

“Do you ever get tired of lying @MikieSherrill? You know I support same sex marriage,” he said on X. “You also know the full clip of Dr. Nadeem’s remarks are clear: He was talking about the grief he gets from some BECAUSE of my unwavering support for the Jewish community and Israel and his own efforts to build bridges between Muslim and non-Muslim communities.”