27-03-2025
Burlington County Republican has eye on education in long-shot gubernatorial bid
Justin Barbera, a Burlington County contractor, is one of five Republicans hoping to win their party's nomination for governor June 10. (Illustration by Alex Cochran for New Jersey Monitor)
The most recent addition to the Republican race to replace Gov. Phil Murphy next year says he is a staunch conservative driven to run because of his disgust over the decision-making of state lawmakers now in power.
Justin Barbera, 44, a contractor from Burlington County, joins four other Republicans hoping to land their party's nomination in the June 10 primary.
'The reason I decided to run is just being so frustrated with how it was operating and how we're being so heavily taxed, and yet we get nothing for it,' he said.
He's on the further-right side of the party, as a Trump loyalist who cites his Christian faith and military upbringing as guiding principles. He attended military school and is the son of military careerists.
As a father of three young children, he says education is one of his top priorities. He accused schools of pushing agendas and fostering students' reliance on artificial intelligence and digital tools rather than focusing on fundamentals and encouraging students to develop independent thinking.
'The children are learning how to operate all these AI devices, and they're not being taught how to come up with the answer on their own without using the computer,' Barbera said. 'The way we're teaching the children is a lazier way to do it, a way we've never done it in the past.'
Parents also should 'have the first say' on any issues that arise with their children at school, he added.
'There's no way that we should be promoting these very left views of what they want to be with their gender,' he said. 'That should never come up in the school.'
He also lists as campaign priorities protecting gun rights and strengthening government accountability, especially when it comes to corruption and misappropriation of public money.
He has long supported Trump, praising him as a patriot. He predicts a Republican will win the governor's race in November.
'If you look historically, you'll see that New Jersey has went left and right consistently,' he said. 'So I do have a lot of faith in the red wave, and New Jersey, I believe, will be turning red this November cycle.'
This race is Barbera's second run for public office.
He ran last year, under a third party called Join the Revolution, for a U.S. House seat in the 3rd Congressional District, coming in last in the six-person race with less than 1% of the vote. The winner, Rep. Herb Conaway Jr., won with 53%.
The other GOP gubernatorial candidates expected to be on the primary ballot are state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, and former radio show host Bill Spadea.
Murphy, a two-term Democrat, is limited from seeking a third term in November.
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