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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's pick for New Jersey governor pledges support as he seeks to lock up the primary
Republican Jack Ciattarelli is leaning on his endorsement from President Donald Trump to win next month's GOP primary for governor in New Jersey, pledging support for the president and saying during a debate Tuesday that he would not challenge Trump's executive orders in court. "I'm going to continue to work with the president. We spoke about that last week when we spoke about making the country and New Jersey safe again. We do that by getting rid of sanctuary cities, by getting rid of our sanctuary state status," Ciattarelli said during an exchange on immigration policy. 'I told him my attorney general will not be suing the White House for executive orders. We're not going to waste taxpayer dollars,' Ciattarelli said, later adding that he would "follow [Trump]'s lead" on deportations and that criminals should be deported. "At the end of the day, if he's going to deport all 14, 15 or 16 million, I support the president," Ciattarelli said. "He was elected on the promise of making the country safe again." Ciattarelli went on to defend his support for giving drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants, saying, "If by chance there are people he is not going to deport, we have to know who they are." Ciattarelli touted Trump's endorsement multiple times throughout the debate, at which he faced off against former radio host Bill Spadea, a staunch Trump supporter, and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Trump critic. Two other GOP candidates on the ballot for the June 10 primary did not meet the fundraising threshold to qualify for the debate, which was hosted by On New Jersey, the New Jersey Globe, Rider University and Save Jersey. Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman who narrowly lost in the general election against Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, has been leading the primary field in limited public polling and campaign spending. Ciattarelli's campaign also launched a TV ad Tuesday that highlighted Trump's endorsement. Spadea acknowledged at the debate that Trump opted to endorse Ciattarelli, but he suggested Trump was swayed by skewed polling. 'The president endorsed a poll — a poll that was conducted and paid for by Jack's campaign," Spadea said in his opening statement. "The president did not endorse a plan. The president did not endorse a set of principles.' The candidates were asked how, as Trump allies, they would navigate Republican-led cuts to federal programs that could negatively affect New Jersey residents. "Did not the recession back in 2011 impact our ability to do this and do that, but yet we met that challenge? And I believe we can meet this challenge," Ciattarelli said. "But the first job of any governor is to provide for health and safety. And that [means] taking care of our most vulnerable people, whether it's people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people on Medicaid, we will find a way." Spadea noted he has disagreed with Trump on "multiple occasions." "Disagreement is OK. You have to protect this state," Spadea said. Bramnick pledged "to fight for New Jersey, even if it means disagreeing with Washington Republicans. New Jersey's got to come first; it's simple as that." Ciattarelli pitched himself as the candidate most likely to win in November. He lost to Murphy by 3 points four years ago, and this year's race is expected to be competitive. A crowded field of Democrats are competing in next month's primary to replace Murphy, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits. This article was originally published on
NBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Trump's pick for New Jersey governor pledges support as he seeks to lock up the primary
Republican Jack Ciattarelli is leaning on his endorsement from President Donald Trump to win next month's GOP primary for governor in New Jersey, pledging support for the president and saying during a debate Tuesday that he would not challenge Trump's executive orders in court. "I'm going to continue to work with the president. We spoke about that last week when we spoke about making the country and New Jersey safe again. We do that by getting rid of sanctuary cities, by getting rid of our sanctuary state status," Ciattarelli said during an exchange on immigration policy. 'I told him my attorney general will not be suing the White House for executive orders. We're not going to waste taxpayer dollars,' Ciattarelli said, later adding that he is going to "follow [Trump]'s lead" on deportations and that criminals should be deported. "At the end of the day, if he's going to deport all 14, 15 or 16 million, I support the president," Ciattarelli said. "He was elected on the promise of making the country safe again." Ciattarelli went on to defend his support for giving drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants, saying, "If by chance there are people he is not going to deport, we have to know who they are." Ciattarelli touted Trump's endorsement multiple times throughout the debate, where he faced off against former radio host Bill Spadea, a staunch Trump supporter, and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Trump critic. Two other GOP candidates are on the ballot for the June 10 primary, though they did not meet the fundraising threshold to qualify for the debate, which was hosted by On New Jersey, the New Jersey Globe, Rider University, and Save Jersey. A former state assemblyman who narrowly lost in the general election against Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, Ciattarelli has been leading the primary field in limited public polling and campaign spending. Ciattarelli's campaign also launched a new TV ad on Tuesday that highlighted Trump's endorsement. Spadea acknowledged during the debate that Trump opted to endorse Ciattarelli, but he suggested the president was swayed by skewed polling. 'The president endorsed a poll — a poll that was conducted and paid for by Jack's campaign," Spadea said in his opening statement. "The president did not endorse a plan. The president did not endorse a set of principles.' The candidates were asked during the debate how, as Trump allies, they would navigate Republican-led cuts to federal programs that could negatively impact New Jersey residents. "Did not the recession back in 2011 impact our ability to do this and do that, but yet we met that challenge? And I believe we can meet this challenge," Ciattarelli said. "But the first job of any governor is to provide for health and safety. And that believes taking care of our most vulnerable people, whether it's people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people on Medicaid, we will find a way." Spadea noted he has disagreed with Trump on "multiple occasions." "Disagreement is okay. You have to protect this state," Spadea said. Bramnick pledged "to fight for New Jersey, even if it means disagreeing with Washington Republicans. New Jersey's got to come first, it's simple as that." Ciattarelli ultimate pitched himself as the candidate most likely to win in November. He lost to Murphy by 3 points four years ago, and this year's gubernatorial race is expected to be competitive. A crowded field of Democrats are competing in next month's primary to replace Murphy, who cannot run for re-election due to term limits.
NBC News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
New Jersey Democrats vow to fight Trump in final gubernatorial debate
The top Democratic candidates running for governor in New Jersey faced off in their final debate Sunday night before next month's primary, where they vowed to take on President Donald Trump and laid out why they are best positioned to win in November. Five of the six Democratic contenders — Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney — faced off Sunday night in a debate hosted by On New Jersey, the New Jersey Globe, and Rider University. A sixth candidate, Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, did not meet the fundraising threshold to participate in the debate. The candidates sparred for over two-and-a-half hours on a range of state-specific issues, from transit and education funding to taxes and state budgets. But they were united in resolving to take on Trump. New Jersey is one of two states, along with Virginia, with gubernatorial races this year, which could provide an early look at how voters are responding to Trump's second term. While the Virginia matchup is set, the New Jersey candidates first have to compete in the June 10 primary. There are contested primaries on both sides, but former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli has led the GOP primary field, and he secured Trump's endorsement last week. The Democratic race has been more unpredictable, with a crowded field splitting voters. When asked how schools and universities should navigate threats to federal funding if they do not comply with Trump's executive orders on DEI or transgender issues, all five said institutions should resist the administration. Fulop said, "We should absolutely be pushing back,' while Sweeney called Trump 'a criminal.' Gottheimer, referring to the president as 'this guy,' said, 'The job of the governor is to fight him.' Baraka — who was arrested on trespassing charges at a federal immigration detention facility earlier this month — also said, 'We have to fight back.' He has denied any wrongdoing and argued the charges were politically motivated. Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba, now the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, wrote in an X post after Baraka was arrested, 'NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.' Sherrill, who some consider the frontrunner in the crowded race, called Trump 'the most corrupt president this nation has ever had' and likened him to a playground bully. 'This is not a federal government you can work with,' Sherrill said. Sherrill and Gottheimer faced some criticism, particularly from Sweeney, for not doing enough to combat Trump and Republicans in D.C. 'We need to start winning some fights in Washington,' Sweeney said a few times throughout the debate. The candidates also laid out their paths to victory in November, with the race expected to be competitive. Trump lost New Jersey by 6 points last year, a 10-point improvement on his performance in the 2020 election. Sherrill previewed a potential case against Ciattarelli, saying that the former assemblyman 'has promised to DOGE New Jersey' and will not stand up to Trump (Ciattarelli has called for establishing a Department of Government Efficiency at the state level). Both Sherrill and Gottheimer touted their victories in competitive House districts, and Gottheimer stressed his focus on reducing taxes and lowering costs. Baraka pitched himself as the true progressive in the race, adding that progressive groups have endorsed him because 'they know I'm gonna fight Donald Trump, not just in words but in action.' Sweeney, meanwhile, said he would be best equipped to run state government and that other candidates pitching themselves as Trenton outsiders would face a steep learning curve. Fulop noted in his opening statement that Ciattarelli 'will be tough to beat,' and later said that a candidate tied to the party establishment, and particularly to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, will be 'dead on arrival in November.' (Murphy cannot run for re-election due to term limits.) 'It is not gonna be only a referendum on Donald Trump because independent voters in the state of New Jersey, a lot of them voted for Donald Trump,' Fulop said, later adding, 'You need to move independent voters, you need to move Republican voters, with a clear vision of what New Jersey looks like.'
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Donald Trump's shadow looms large over NJ's governor race. This is how
Donald Trump's shadow looms large over NJ's governor race. This is how | Opinion 4-minute read Show Caption Hide Caption These are candidates running for NJ governor in 2025 election Wondering who is running for New Jersey governor in 2025? Here are the names to know for the election. The Democratic Party's takeaway is to talk about 'affordability' — egg prices, taxes and transit, so to speak — and deemphasize issues that have branded the party as obsessed with left-leaning 'woke' In the GOP melee held last Tuesday night, three of the four Republican candidates expressed their solidarity and devotion to The Sequel, and vowing to carry out parts of Trump's hard-right agenda. Two debates last week revealed how President Donald Trump's shadow has been cast over much of the New Jersey governor's race. His surprising showing in New Jersey in November — when he lost by just five percentage points to former Vice President Kamala Harris in a blue state that he twice lost by double-digit margins — suddenly changed the calculus for 2025. In the GOP melee held last Tuesday night, three of the four Republican candidates expressed their solidarity and devotion to The Sequel and vowed to carry out parts of Trump's hard-right agenda. And a third, the moderate state Sen. Jon Bramnick, even shifted from his 'Never Trumper' posture to a 'Sometime Trumper' who said he would support the president when it's appropriate. But the Trump effect could also be felt more subtly at the more civil debate among the Democratic candidates two nights earlier. Both events were hosted by the New Jersey Globe and On New Jersey at Rider University. The six Democratic candidates demonstrated how Trump's victory has complicated their path forward. Under normal circumstances, the Democrats should be resting on their formidable position, namely a 900,000-voter advantage over the Republicans. But Trump had success in capturing the blue stronghold of Passaic County and making eye-popping in-roads among Latino communities around the state, including the Democratic Party heartland of Hudson County. The Democratic Party's takeaway is to talk about 'affordability' — egg prices, taxes and transit, so to speak — and de-emphasize issues that have branded the party as obsessed with left-leaning 'woke' cultural and social justice issues. What did the Democratic candidates for NJ governor say? That's not to say the Democrats abandoned those issues during the 90-minute event. Every candidate, for example, supported allowing trans children to participate in sports that align with their gender identity. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who is running an insurgency campaign, hoping to harness the grassroots fury that propelled Andy Kim to the U.S. Senate, boasted of his work in fostering the trans community in his city. And U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill of Montclair, widely viewed as the early front-runner, who spent most of the debate keeping her head down and sticking to talking points, flashed some anger over the issue. 'It's targeting vulnerable people, and quite frankly, it's bull[expletive],' Sherrill said. 'We have to do better at protecting vulnerable people, but we can't fall into these traps, because we're losing on this issue.' All of the candidates — including Sean Spiller of Montclair, the New Jersey Education Association president — condemned the U.S. immigration enforcement sweeps on undocumented migrants, such as a raid on a Newark fish market late last month. They accused Trump of insensitivity and going overboard — and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka asserted that the raids were motivated by white supremacy and racism. But the Trump election effect caused some divisions on the issue. Former state Senate President Stephen Sweeney took Trump to task but has called for rescinding the 'sanctuary state' directive that limited cooperation with local federal immigration officers. He struck a right-leaning chord that he believes will resonate among what polls suggest is a public largely supportive of Trump's immigration crackdown. 'He's doing it illegally; he's doing it without legal search warrants," Sweeney said of Trump. 'But I also believe someone that's a criminal comes in this country, and someone breaks the law in this country, shouldn't be in this country. It's a privilege.' Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Tenafly, who draws heavily from the centrist playbook of his onetime boss, former President Bill Clinton, also took a similarly hard line on law-violating immigrants. But Gottheimer used the event to promote his pledge to lower the cost of living by cutting property taxes by 15%, even though, technically, local governments and school boards, not governors, cut property taxes. Yet Gottheimer believes the shell-shocked Democratic base is ready to rally around a tax-cutting warrior, even if his proposal is propped up by dubious methods of paying for the cuts. He cast himself as a fighter — a big post-Trump victory phrase — for the beleaguered everyman. 'We can do this. I'm a problem solver. People say this impossible, but that's the wrong attitude," Gottheimer claimed. Only Baraka and Fulop vowed defiance in the face of Trump, with Baraka arguing that 'you can't fight extremism with moderation" and Fulop saying that if elected, he would not adhere to the tradition of maintaining a bipartisan balance on the state Supreme Court. 'We repeatedly go back and say, 'We'll play nice,' because it's the historical way that it's been, and you've seen what's happened with the federal government,' Fulop said. 'It's no secret that New Jersey is viewed as a purple state. If it becomes red, do you think that the Republicans are going to say, 'Well, this is the way it's been?'' But for the most part, the Democratic assault on Trump and his agenda was muted. It could be that they see no upside in appearing obsessed with anti-Trump fervor when voters made it known that the price of eggs and gasoline and worries over border security were top-of-mind issues in November. What did the Republican candidates for NJ governor say? The Republican candidates had no such hesitation two nights later. 'The next governor as a Republican has to capitalize on the momentum Donald Trump has given us in New Jersey,' said Bill Spadea, a former right-wing radio host from Princeton. 'Donald Trump showed us the pathway to victory, and the right way to handle this is to run that style campaign.' Yet Jack Ciattarelli, the former Assemblyman who once described Trump as a 'charlatan' unworthy of the presidency, sought to hammer away at Spadea's credibility, pointing to critical comments Spadea made after Trump's 2020 loss. At the time, Spadea was urging the party to move on from Trump. A centrist businessman from Somerset County for most of his political career, Ciattarelli cast himself as the candidate who could unify the GOP. 'Donald Trump did it on Election Day," he said. The pro-Trump sentiment was also clear from the audience, which booed Bramnick when he said he opposed Trump's pardon of Jan. 6, 2021, rioters convicted of committing violence against police officers. 'Either we're the party of law and order, or we're not. You can clap, you can boo if you want, but I will stand with police officers every time,' Bramnick said. The response is indicative of the challenges that a pro-choice, moderate, Trump-defying Republican has in surviving a primary that is pumped on Trump's reelection. Bramnick believes that the GOP doesn't stand a chance to win in November unless it fields a more moderate candidate like himself. But the rest of those in the field — including Ed 'the Trucker' Durr, the former state senator from Salem County — apparently don't. Democrats are figuring out how to proceed through the reconfigured Trump landscape. Republicans are moving full steam ahead. They are doubling down. Charlie Stile is a veteran New Jersey political columnist. For unlimited access to his unique insights into New Jersey's political power structure and his powerful watchdog work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: stile@
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bickering overshadows policy positions in first GOP debate of governor's race
The candidates traded so many insults and interruptions during the first GOP debate in the governor's race, it was sometimes hard to hear. (Courtesy of New Jersey Globe/On New Jersey) The four frontrunners in the Republican race to become New Jersey's next governor met at Rider University Tuesday for their first debate, and things went from discourse to dogfight in less than 10 minutes. As the interruptions and insults intensified, candidate Bill Spadea, the brash radio personality, noted that the men were bellowing over one other like they were at an 'old Italian dinner.' And at one point, moderator Laura Jones said, 'This is no longer productive.' 'Unfortunately, in a debate as to who is going to be the best next governor, the loudest, most disruptive, annoying person does not win,' Spadea said. In between the bouts of bickering, Spadea, businessman Jack Ciattarelli, Sen. Jon Bramnick, and former Sen. Ed Durr weighed in on everything from development to the 'deep state' to dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Spadea, Durr, and Ciattarelli fought over who was most MAGA, clearly looking to capitalize on President Trump's gains in the Garden State between his first presidential run in 2016 and his White House win last year. 'We now know that Donald Trump appeals to Hispanic voters, Black voters, blue-collar workers. Donald Trump showed us the pathway to victory, and the right way to handle this is to run that style campaign,' Spadea said. Bramnick, the lone anti-Trump Republican on the stage, took a different tack as he addressed an audience that booed him when he mentioned the Jan. 6 insurrection and cheered a subsequent reference to Trump's pardons of roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters. 'Do you think the people of New Jersey want the debate to be who loves Trump the most or who loves New Jersey the most?' he said. The candidates also hammered home the personas they hope voters will remember in the ballot box. Bramnick, an attorney who's served in the Legislature for 22 years, called himself a 'Republican with a heart' who has the power to win Democrats and independents. Spadea, who hosted a conservative radio talk show until last week, said he's a Trump loyalist intent on reversing the policies of 'woke Democrats who wreck this state and weak Republicans who let it happen.' Ciattarelli, who lost a tight gubernatorial race against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, presented himself as a party unifier capable of raising money and benefitting down-ballot candidates. Durr, a truck driver and one-time state senator who lost his 2023 bid for reelection, said he's a political outsider and 'regular guy' who will bring an anti-establishment approach to a Statehouse run by career politicians. 'The only way to fix New Jersey is by doing something different. Well, I'm different,' Durr said. The candidates aligned on many of the GOP's pet issues, even though they argued over the details. They agreed New Jersey should not be a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants, that New Jersey's taxes are intolerably high, that government bloat should be slashed, and that the Murphy administration's pandemic restrictions and lockdowns were destructive overreach. They blasted municipal affordable housing mandates and overdevelopment. They lamented rampant corruption in New Jersey politics at all levels. And none are fans of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which Ciattarelli called 'affirmative action on steroids.' But they disagreed on plenty of things too, including whether voters should decide whether to amend the state constitution to give women the legal right to abortion. Bramnick and Ciattarelli support abortion rights, except for late-term terminations, with Ciattarelli saying teens under 18 should not be able to end a pregnancy without parental notification. Durr and Spadea oppose abortion, with Spadea calling for more funding for anti-abortion centers. They also split on gender identity politics and book bans. Asked if they would roll back LGBTQ+ protections adopted by the Murphy administration, Durr and Spadea said they would bar transgender athletes from teams and facilities that don't align with their birth gender, prohibit gender-affirming care for transgender youth, and require schools to involve parents when transgender and gender-questioning students come out at school. Bramnick and Ciattarelli, though, had different answers. 'I'm here to protect any and all groups, particularly marginalized groups, here in New Jersey, plain and simple,' Ciattarelli said. Bramnick agreed, saying the Republican Party 'should always have a heart' and respect everyone. Bramnick was the only lawmaker to defend the recently enacted Freedom to Read Act, which he co-sponsored. The new law limits book bans in public schools and libraries and shields librarians from lawsuits and criminal charges filed by people who find library materials obscene or otherwise objectionable. 'Next time, you should read the legislation before you take a position on it,' he said, as Durr bashed the bill as promoting pornography. Spadea said he would repeal it, if elected, and blamed it on teachers union the New Jersey Education Association 'pushing their radical agenda.' Ciattarelli questioned the need for the bill, saying: 'There is only one public employee that needs warrants and deserves immunity, and that is our police, not school librarians, with all due respect.' The debate was hosted by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, Rider's Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics, and Save Jersey. Ten Republicans have declared they'll run in the June primary to succeed Murphy, but only the four frontrunners participated in the debate. Murphy's term ends in January 2026. The two-term Democrat is barred from seeking a third term in November. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
