OPINION – As New Jersey approaches its 2025 gubernatorial election, the Republican primary is more than a contest of policy—it’s a referendum on loyalty to President Donald Trump.
With Trump’s 2024 landslide reaffirming his grip on the GOP, New Jersey Republicans must nominate a candidate who didn’t waver when Trump faced his darkest hours.
The state, battered by Democratic mismanagement—high taxes, overregulation, and progressive overreach—needs a governor with the backbone to fight the establishment, not one who dumped on Trump when he was down.
Examining the words of leading contenders—Bill Spadea, Jack Ciattarelli, and Jon Bramnick—reveals a troubling lack of fidelity among some, casting doubt on their fitness to lead a party galvanized by Trump’s resurgence.
Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 gubernatorial nominee who came within striking distance of ousting Phil Murphy, has a history of venomous critiques against Trump. In 2015, as Trump surged in the primaries, Ciattarelli branded him a “charlatan” who was “out of step with the Party of Lincoln” and “embarrassing the nation.” He accused Trump of exploiting “our worst instincts and fears” and declared him “not fit to be President of the United States.”
After the 2016 Access Hollywood tape, Ciattarelli refused to vote for Trump, calling for him to step aside for Mike Pence or Paul Ryan.
Yet by 2024, with Trump’s star rising again, Ciattarelli pivoted, endorsing him after Super Tuesday to curry favor with the MAGA base. This opportunistic reversal undermines his credibility—can a man who once saw Trump as unfit truly champion his legacy now?
Jon Bramnick, a state senator and vocal moderate, has built his campaign on distancing himself from Trump. He’s called Trump’s 2020 election challenges a “problem” for the GOP, blamed him for the January 6 riot, and argued the party must move beyond “one man.”
In 2023, Bramnick insisted New Jerseyans reject Trump’s “hateful rhetoric,” urging Republicans to shed his influence to win in a blue state. He’s painted Trump as an embarrassment—a liability rather than an asset.
But Trump’s 2024 performance, narrowing the gap in New Jersey to six points, exposed Bramnick’s miscalculation. A governor who views Trump as a pariah can’t unite a party that reveres him, nor mobilize the base in a state where turnout is everything.
Bill Spadea, the NJ 101.5 radio host turned candidate, styles himself as Trump’s staunchest ally, claiming loyalty since the 2015 escalator ride.
Trump reciprocated in 2024, saying on Spadea’s show, “You’ve had my back from the beginning.” Yet Spadea’s record isn’t spotless.
After Trump’s 2020 loss, Spadea said on air that “Trump should not run” again, adding that “Trump failed” to deliver on key promises, according to rivals and a super PAC tied to Trump advisors. These ads, which aired in late 2024, accused Spadea of faltering when Trump was at his lowest.
A 2022 tweet from Spadea has gained attention, in which he wrote, “Trump served an incredible historical purpose. He reminded us about the greatness of America, but his time has passed. Move on, it’s common sense.”
New Jersey’s woes—crippling property taxes, decaying infrastructure, and a government bloated by Democratic excess—cry out for a governor with the resolve to defy the status quo.
Trump’s 2024 success, cutting into Democratic strongholds among Hispanic, Black, and working-class voters, proves his populism can resonate even here.
A Republican who faltered when Trump was down—dismissing him as a “charlatan,” “unfit,” an “embarrassment,” or a failure—lacks the authenticity to tap that energy.
Opinion by SNN – Editorial