TRENTON, N.J. — Former Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli holds a strong early lead among likely Republican voters in New Jersey’s 2025 governor’s race, according to a new poll by M3 Strategies.
The poll represented a small number of Republican voters.
The survey, conducted Jan. 23-24 among 401 likely Republican voters, found Ciattarelli with a 57% favorability rating, while 15% viewed him unfavorably. Ciattarelli, who lost to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy by 3.2% in 2021, is seeking the GOP nomination again as Murphy reaches the state’s two-term limit.
Trailing Ciattarelli was conservative radio host Bill Spadea, who registered 35% favorability with 18% unfavorable. State Sen. Jon Bramnick and former state Sen. Ed Durr had favorability ratings of 18% and 15%, respectively, but suffered from lower name recognition.
The poll suggests that Ciattarelli’s previous statewide campaign has given him an advantage in early support. That support might be coming from on-target messaging by Ciattarelli highlighting Spadea’s past criticism of President Donald Trump, including two commercials where Spadea is heard calling Trump, “A failure” and that the former President “Should not run again.”
Spadea dismissed the polls and criticism by blaming the media for ‘lying’, saying he won a straw poll at the Pinelands Republican Club meeting this week in Shamong. Jack Ciattarelli was omitted from that poll, according to club members who wished to speak anonymously today. It consisted of approximately 70 members of the club, who chose between Spadea, Ed Durr, and John Bramnick. Durr finished second in the poll.
“When the media reports the truth. appreciate the reporters @cpsj “Pinelands Republican Club straw poll winner: Radio host Bill Spadea,” he tweeted.
The commercials were paid for by Kitchen Table Conservatives, a group of former members of Trump’s inner circle.
“Less than 300k in Q4… burn rate over 50%… turns out spending the last four years calling Trump a failure and telling Republicans to move on from Trump isn’t good for fundraising,” the group said this week.
However, with months to go before the primary, lower-profile candidates could see their standing shift as they introduce themselves to voters.