Things for President Trump to Know About NJ Governor Candidates [Opinion]

This Opinion - Editorial is written in the form of an Open Letter to United States President Donald Trump … regarding things that he needs to know about the Republican candidates for Governor of New Jersey.

The only variable not yet factored into the Republican race for Governor of New Jersey is …

United States President Donald Trump.

Will President Trump endorse a candidate in the New Jersey Republican Primary election for Governor?

Nothing else currently exists that could move the current trajectory of the race.

Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 Republican Nominee currently leads his 3 challengers by a wide margin … in both the overall “horse race” and favorability polls.

Ciatterelli’s 3 opponents are:

Jon Bramnick - New Jersey State Senator.

Bill Spadea - New Jersey radio talk show host.

Edward Durr - Former New Jersey State Senator.

We’re being generous to even include Durr. He has raised basically no money and has no statewide base of support whatsoever.

You would think that a long-time New Jersey Assemblyman and State Senator like Bramnick would put on a better showing.

Bramnick is a terrible candidate, who could not be more openly anti-Trump if he tried. This one factor alone, disqualifies any candidate (not just Bramnick) in a Republican Primary election in The Age of  Trump.

Bramnick is “The Chris Christie” Republican candidate in the race, which is another political “kiss of death” for Bramnick.

Chris Christie is President Trump’s least favorite Republican in America.

That leaves just one Republican challenger to Ciattarelli still standing … that would be Spadea, and, barely.

Spadea currently faces significant head winds. First, he has a well documented and memorialized (on audio tape) past of criticizing President Trump.

Most things said can ultimately be forgotten. But, not in the case of a radio talk show host, where every word that you speak is recorded or published in writing.

Here is one famous example:

Bill Spadea wrote an opinion - editorial on January 14, 2021. This is just 6 days before Spadea thought that President Trump was leaving The Presidency forever:

"He's beaten. He's tired. He would have been better off resigning the office ... Pray that we eventually elect a president with the strength, courage and commitment to the Constitution and the American way of life to ignore the polls, the optics and the haters and be tough enough to fight,” wrote Spadea.

President Trump is very forgiving, however, these words cut very deep right before President Trump left office after his first term.

Just the above Spadea quote disqualifies him from serious consideration in a Republican Primary for Governor of New Jersey.

Also, on February 3, 2025, Spadea announced that he will not be participating in the Republican Convention process throughout the state of New Jersey.

These folks are the party faithful. They are the Republicans who work so hard to help get Republican candidates elected throughout the state of New Jersey.

No doubt, Ciattarelli has amassed tremendous Republican goodwill by his direct, enthusiastic support of Republican candidates in all 21 New Jersey Counties.

Spadea was also very publicly critical of United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew, when he switched to the Republican Party.

This switch literally took place in The Oval Office, with President Trump.

Trump and Van Drew are very close friends and political allies.

Politics is all about making choices. Spadea has made some bad choices that are now coming back to haunt him … when seeking a Republican Nomination after writing and speaking such hyper-negative political attacks against Republicans.

Below are photos of President Trump, Ciattarelli, Vince Polistina, Michael Testa, Van Drew and others in New Jersey: