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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thoughts on the final debate between three Republicans running for governor
The three front-runners for the GOP nomination for governor backed smaller budgets, the death penalty, and harsher penalties for juvenile partygoers. (Illustration by Alex Cochran for New Jersey Monitor) The final GOP debate of the gubernatorial primary season was Tuesday night in Newark, with the three front-runners — state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, and radio talk show host Bill Spadea — on the stage. Here are my thoughts, in no particular order: The audience was rowdy, much more so than the larger crowd that attended the five-person Democratic debate on Sunday. Not sure if audience members met up to pregame or whether Republican voters are just more rambunctious, but it sure got loud. The Dem debate was light on one-on-one attacks. Ciattarelli and Spadea did not hold back, with Ciattarelli hitting Spadea for never winning elective office and Spadea attacking both his chief rivals for being insiders. Bramnick, who got in a few jabs of his own, often appeared like a peacemaking dad to two brawling children. 'Let's stay with the substance, and in the general election none of this is going to help us. Let's concentrate on the Democratic policies that have put our state in a situation where we're unaffordable, energy costs are off the charts, and of course we're closing prisons as opposed to putting people in prisons,' he said. President Trump loomed large, naturally, especially his endorsement of Ciattarelli over Spadea, who got this issue out of the way from the start, saying in his opening statement, 'The president endorsed a poll, a poll that was conducted and paid for by Jack's campaign. The president did not endorse a plan. The president did not endorse a set of principles.' Bramnick, who has been a Trump critic for years, was not in the running for the president's nod, which he noted with a quip: 'I did not get the endorsement from Donald Trump. I waited up late at night — no phone call.' Thoughts on New Jersey Democrats' long, long debate night All three candidates came out in favor of restoring the death penalty, which was abolished in 2007, during a discussion of the Newark 14-year-old accused of killing Newark Police Sgt. Joseph Azcona in March. After Ciattarelli said he would make sure the teen gets prosecuted as an adult, Spadea said he supports the death penalty for all cop killers. Ciattarelli said he supports the death penalty for serial killers, mass murderers, and terrorists. Bramnick, who voted against getting rid of capital punishment when he was in the Assembly, said it should be in place for certain instances, like for people who murder and rape children. 'So I have a voting record on that, not a radio record,' he said, taking a swipe at Spadea. Bramnick doesn't think much of Democratic governor hopeful Rep. Josh Gottheimer's pledge to cut property taxes by 15%. 'I'm going to put Josh on my tax reduction team,' Bramnick said. 'He can serve with Houdini and other people who make stuff up, right? Look, Josh keeps saying that and I've been serving the Legislature and as the leader for 10 years — he's talking nuts.' Boy, Republicans do not like pronouns. Spadea and Ciattarelli mentioned pronouns four times last night, with Ciattarelli saying about Democrats, 'They worry about pronouns, I worry about property taxes' (two pronouns in that sentence, by the way) and Spadea saying several times that schools and colleges are too focused on 'pronouns and propaganda.' All three candidates came out strongly in favor of punishing juveniles who show up in large masses on boardwalks because of pop-up parties advertised on social media. Local authorities have griped that they can't handle so many teens hanging out in one place at a time, and Spadea said kids should be punished. 'There are local laws that are being violated in terms of the number of people that are gathering outside. We've handcuffed our police officers so, A, I believe we need to start charging 14-year-olds as adults,' he said. A wild response to large mobs of kids showing up and hanging out at beaches and boardwalks, some of our state's most popular tourist destinations. Ciattarelli pledged, 'We're not going to have flash mobs on our Jersey Shore when I'm governor.' Bramnick, meanwhile, said, 'I would give no leeway whatsoever to rioting anywhere, especially on the sacred ground of the Jersey Shore.' Ah, yes, sacred. Exactly the word I think of when I'm stepping over someone puking on the boardwalk outside Martell's on a Friday night in July. Gov. Phil Murphy's budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $58.1 billion. The Republican candidates to succeed Murphy have all said they think there's too much spending now — but how much do they think a state budget should be? Moderator David Wildstein of New Jersey Globe asked this question, and Bramnick sorta answered by saying he'd get rid of pork projects that he said have added $5 billion to the budget over the last seven years, while Spadea said the budget should be about $46 billion. Ciattarelli noted that budgets under Murphy's predecessors included billions less in spending, though he did not specify what he thought the budget should be. 'Jack's going to have to check with his lobbyist before he'll give you a specific answer on what he'll actually cut,' Spadea said. There are two more candidates who will be on the June 10 GOP primary ballot: Burlington County contractor Justin Barbera and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac. Neither of them raised enough money to receive matching funds from the state for their campaign, so they were barred from appearing at last night's debate. Kranjac held counter-programming in the form of a tele-town hall with Clinton-era GOP hero Newt Gingrich. Barbera showed up last night and was escorted out by police after he verbally tussled with debate organizers (he wanted to be featured in the post-debate press conference). 'I deserve to be up there,' he said. 'You're what's wrong with this state.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After losing Trump endorsement, GOP governor hopeful carries on
Republican governor hopefuls Jack Ciattarelli, left, and Bill Spadea have been fighting for the support of Donald Trump's voters. (Ciattarelli photo by Amanda Burns/Spadea photo by Hal Brown) Bill Spadea, the Republican former radio host running to become New Jersey's next governor, said learning that he would not be getting President Donald Trump's endorsement was like a punch to the gut. Spadea was walking into a campaign event Monday night when he received a phone call from Bill Stepien, who ran Trump's 2020 reelection campaign, telling him Trump would be endorsing Spadea's chief rival in the GOP primary, Jack Ciattarelli. Spadea said he hadn't seen that coming. But, he said, by the next morning, he woke up to hundreds of texts of support, dozens of new volunteers signed up, and a flood of new, low-dollar donations. 'It exposed this incredible groundswell, thousands of people reaching out. I don't know that I would have heard from all those people if they didn't feel the need to say, 'Wait a minute. This is ridiculous — you're the Trump guy.' So I'm very pleased about that,' Spadea said Thursday following a lunch event with the Women's Republican Club Mantoloking-Bay Head. Spadea and Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman who has twice before sought the governor's seat, have spent months dueling for the support of Trump and the president's supporters. Trump on Monday posted his endorsement of Ciattarelli on social media, calling Ciattarelli 'a terrific America First candidate.' Ciattarelli called himself 'truly humbled and honored' to receive Trump's endorsement. Speaking to voters at Charlie's of Bay Head Thursday, Spadea compared Trump's endorsement of Ciattarelli to a priest at a funeral giving remarks for someone they didn't know. He said Trump endorsed 'a poll, not a person.' Several polls have shown for much of the race that Ciattarelli is the clear front-runner in the five-man GOP primary. An Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll released Thursday puts Ciattarelli at 44% and Spadea in second place at 18%. The poll says 23% of respondents were undecided. 'The guys around the president want it easy. They're like, 'Oh, Mr. President, look at this, he's 20 points down. He can't win,'' Spadea said. 'Really? Because I remember 2016, when Hillary Clinton had a 98% chance of becoming the president.' Asked to comment, Ciattarelli campaign strategist Chris Russell called Spadea's remarks 'just more BS.' 'The fact of the matter is that Spadea is losing this race by a landslide because of his harsh attacks on President Trump and his lying smears against Jack Ciattarelli. If Spadea thinks it's a good idea to double down on that failed strategy, more power to him. Jack is focused on uniting the party and working with President Trump to fix our state,' Russell said. Ciattarelli was the Republican nominee for governor in 2021, losing to Gov. Phil Murphy in a close race. Less than four weeks remain until June 10, when voters will decide who wins the Democratic and Republican nominations for governor in the fall. Murphy, a Democrat, will leave office in January and is barred from seeking a third consecutive term. In addition to the five-man GOP race to succeed him, six Democrats are vying for their party's nomination. While Spadea said Thursday he's disappointed he wasn't endorsed by Trump, he believes it'll hurt Ciattarelli in the long run. He cited candidates with Trump's endorsement who lost their elections, including Christine Serrano Glassner in last year's U.S. Senate primary in New Jersey. Candidates need to have a 'certain character, strength, principles in order to capitalize on making that endorsement something,' Spadea said. 'Our plan aligns with his plan, so it would have been a real match,' he said. 'So, it would've helped me. It's not going to help Jack the way he thinks.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Politico
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
NJ Spotlight News' Fight Night
Presented by Good Thursday morning! NJ Spotlight News hosted a 'conversation' last night with the three debate-eligible Republican gubernatorial candidates: State Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli and former radio host Bill Spadea. It was more of an hour-long argument, and a particularly bitter one during the exchanges between Ciattarelli and Spadea. Fairly early on, after Spadea criticized Ciattarelli as an 'insider,' Ciattarelli hit him over his fundraising practices. 'What do you call a person who fleeced seniors to give contributions? That's an insider,' Ciattarelli said. Spadea shot back that Ciattarelli was 'scared' and lying about him. 'It's all about character. You have none,' Ciattarelli told Spadea. 'You're sad and desperate,' Spadea responded. I could try go into the candidates' policy differences, but there's not much space at the top of this newsletter, and frankly the candidates broke little news on that front. But here are some things that really stuck out. On whether to maintain the Supreme Court's traditional partisan balance — in which no party has more than a one-seat advantage — Ciattarelli took the most radical position, saying he would discard it. Spadea was noncommittal, even though he's calling for executive orders on affordable housing and other issues with long Supreme Court precedents that would almost certainly be put in front of the justices. And Bramnick said he would keep the balance in place, because 'if you tell Democrats that's what we're going to do, they'll start doing it.' Ciattarelli said he would support whoever wins the primary, as did Bramnick. But Spadea did not commit, using his time to call Ciattarelli a 'two-time loser' who 'did not want my support or President Trump's support in 2021.' (Spadea did commit to do so in this January interview if the nominee supports Trump). And while Bramnick is by far the most 'establishment' of the three — a dirty word in either party's primary — he was the only one to express skepticism of authority. Asked about deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, Bramnick supported their right to due process, saying they're entitled 'to at least make sure you got the right guy.' 'Just because the government says 'that's a bad guy,' you believe whatever the government says?' he said. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'It's like putting the hot dog on a hamburger bun.' — An unnamed Facebook user protesting the rumor that the Wildwood Boardwalk plans to replace its iconic tram car towing car with a yellow Ford pick-up truck. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Chris Megerian, Matt Greller, Sabeen Masih, Yale Hauptman, Miranda Peterson WHAT TRENTON MADE SCOTNJ — Republicans raise prospect of tilting balance of state Supreme Court, by POLITICO's Madison Fernandez: Republicans vying to flip the governorship this year are opening the door to altering the traditional partisan balance of the state Supreme Court. During a Wednesday debate among Republicans Jon Bramnick, Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea, the candidates were asked if they would commit to maintaining the partisan balance of the state's highest court. Ciattarelli, who has previously stated he would prioritize 'qualifications, not partisanship' on the court, said he would not honor the balance because 'we need conservatives.' Bramnick disagreed with that approach, warning that it could open the door to Democrats stacking the court with liberal justices, and Spadea initially said that he didn't know. 'The way I look at the Supreme Court is that they have been a complete disaster over time, and we know that the chief justice will hit the retirement age and we're going to replace him,' Spadea said. ICE'S IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION TO BARAKA FOR GOVERNOR — 'Newark mayor confronted by armed ICE officers at private detention center,' by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: 'A line of armed ICE officers in combat fatigues greeted Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka Wednesday morning outside the gate of a privately run immigrant detention center that began housing detainees last week, despite the city's position that it was operating illegally. Baraka and other city officials were at the Delaney Hall detention center to try and serve a representative of its owner, the GEO Group of Boca Raton, Florida, with summonses that included refusing to grant access to the facility and failure to have an evacuation plan in place. … The peaceful standoff between the city's civilian delegation and the seven ICE officers in green military-style uniforms — with several Newark Police vehicles parked nearby — was one that Baraka and other city officials said they had never seen before. Baraka said it was clear that the ICE officers were meant to intimidate city inspectors, though he was not intimidated.' —'What to Know About the Newly Opened Immigration Detention Center in New Jersey's Biggest City' SH****NG ON THE BRIDGE OF THE BAY — 'Fulop says he'll repair Newark Bay Bridge, cancel new bridge project,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'The proposed $6 billion Newark Bay Bridge replacement received a permit from the U.S. Coast Guard – a major hurdle in the construction process set to commence early next year – but staff at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority this morning pushed back on the idea that a new governor could still call off the first step toward a controversial plan to widen the New Jersey Turnpike through parts of Hudson County. 'A new governor, or any governor, is going to have to reckon with the public safety issue,' said Tom Feeney, a spokesman for the authority. 'Just cancelling it is not going to be an option with public safety as the primary consideration.' But the answer doesn't satisfy one major gubernatorial contender, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a fervent opponent of the project. 'We need more mass transit and not more highways,' Fulop stated. 'As governor, we will complete safety improvements to the bridge and cancel the balance of this widening to reallocate the money to mass transit.' … Fulop said it was 'shameful' that Gov. Phil Murphy is backing the project.' —'The massive project to replace these N.J. Turnpike bridges gets a start date' WILL THE CUP CUP RUNNETH OVER BUDGET? — 'What has NJ spent — so far, at least — to fund the 2026 FIFA World Cup?' by The Record's Katie Sobko: 'Though the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still more than a year away, it's been costing New Jersey taxpayers money for a few years already. Trenton lawmakers have dispatched a total of $67.5 million to a New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority fund for 'International Events, Improvements & Attractions' over the last three state budgets. So far, the NJSEA has spent more than $32 million on the tournament. With another $32.4 million under contract, the NJSEA will spend as much as $64.4 million on the event, which will feature eight matches including the final at MetLife Stadium. Though they're not part of next year's tournament, another $4 million will be used to 'assist MetLife Stadium with securing and hosting upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches.'' —'Phil Murphy should not cozy up to the Saudis. 9/11 families need answers | Opinion' —'NJ Transit and its largest union reach a tentative agreement on a new contract' —'Trump is a felon. But N.J. extends his golf clubs' temporary liquor permits – again' —'Student details might get added protection' —'Is NJ's unemployment system recession ready?' —'Larry Hamm-led group endorses Baraka for governor' —'Nuclear New Jersey: Murphy embraces new reactors amid energy crisis' TRUMP ERA FEDERAL ANXIETY ADMINISTRATION — Newark's a symptom of the ailing air traffic system. Can Trump offer a cure?, by POLITICO's Oriana Pawlyk and Ry Rivard: Terrifying safety lapses at Newark Liberty International Airport are raising the stakes for the Trump administration's still-vague plan for upgrading the nation's aviation system — a multibillion-dollar blueprint whose debut is scheduled for Thursday. The plan, to be announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, comes on the heels of a series of unnerving aviation incidents in recent years, most seriously the midair collision near Washington that killed 67 people on Jan. 29. But more than a week of flight delays, cancellations and mechanical malfunctions at Newark has put an exclamation point on the demand for improvements in how the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the skies. The emerging plan will be one of the most challenging tests yet of the new Trump administration's ability to address years of flaws in an aging, but crucial government function meant to safeguard Americans' travel — even as it pursues spending and staffing cuts, including in the FAA. SALT IN THE WOUND — SALT Republicans leave critical meeting empty-handed, by POLITICO's Benjamin Guggenheim: House Republicans left a critical meeting of the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday saying that a fight over a key tax deduction is still far from resolved. 'It's one of, I think, the stickiest points of the entire [budget] reconciliation. But we're getting there,' said committee member Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) … Malliotakis said Wednesday's discussion centered on whether there should be an income limit for qualifying for the deduction, if second homes would qualify and doubling the deduction for married couples. 'GIVE HIM A BREAK, WILL YA? IT'S AN EMOTIONAL DAY' — Former Sen. Bob Menendez is asking for another delay before he begins his 11-year federal prison sentence in June. His attorneys asked for the delay Wednesday, citing the upcoming wedding of his stepdaughter, the only daughter of his wife, Nadine Menendez. 'Allowing Sen. Menendez to accompany his wife to their daughter's wedding would alleviate this hardship and permit the family to be together for a meaningful (and perhaps final) gathering before the commencement of Sen. Menendez's lengthy custodial sentence,' Menendez attorneys Adam Fee and Avi Weitzman wrote. If granted, Menendez would report to a federal prison in Pennsylvania on June 17 rather than June 6. – Ry Rivard —'Cancellations, delays continue at Newark airport as Real ID begins' HEALTH CARE — 'Federal Medicaid cuts: Health care execs offer bleak outcome for NJ patients,' by The Record's Scott Fallon: 'Some have argued that Medicaid has become bloated, has made too many Americans dependent on it and has been taken advantage of by those who can instead get insurance by working a full-time job. But those who testified at the state Assembly Health Committee's three-hour session Tuesday described Medicaid as a thin line separating a vibrant, healthy society from one that plunges into disarray. 'Without Medicaid, I simply have no life,' said Kevin Nunez, a New Jersey disability advocate who has cerebral palsy. 'Without Medicaid, I couldn't get out of bed.' ... Although the cuts have been discussed for months and a House resolution that passed would target $880 billion over 10 years, there is still little information on what eligibility requirements will be changed, how much reimbursements would be cut and what programs would be targeted. 'We don't know what they're going to look like,' Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, a Democrat from Mount Laurel who chaired the hearing, said of the cuts. 'We just have an estimate of what it may be.'' THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY AND HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE — 'Trump appoints former 'Real Housewives' star to Holocaust Museum board,' by The Washington Post's Herb Scribner: 'President Donald Trump named five new members to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council on Monday night, including a former 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' television star whose stepson was charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The appointments, and eight others Trump made last week, will replace members he fired April 29, all of whom had been named by President Joe Biden. The abrupt ouster and replacement of Biden appointees before their terms expired — a prerogative that no previous president had exercised regarding the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum — has sparked concerns from some supporters of the museum.' —'Van Drew: NJ's lawsuit against Trump over offshore wind ban 'a slap in the face' to taxpayers' —'Starvation, looting: NJ aid worker in Gaza describes the day that nearly broke him' LOCAL UNARRESTED DEVELOPMENT — 'Lakewood fire reveals illegal shack apartments; owner faces thousands in fines,' by The Asbury Park Press' Joe Strupp: 'Five shack-like apartments that were evacuated by a fire last month were illegally built and rented out, according to township officials who say the owner has been cited for numerous violations and faces thousands of dollars in fines. That owner is linked to a major local developer who just last year had received township approval to build nine new homes on the property. Township records indicate the property is owned by a limited liability corporation headed by the president of Diversified Capital, a Lakewood-based firm … Diversified President Joseph Rosenbaum is listed in documents as the registered agent of the LLC and signed an affidavit of ownership for the project with the planning board in 2024. The [planning] board granted approval in April 2024 for the planned homes, according to records. A March 18, 2024, engineers report completed for the project appears to mention the illegal units … Minutes from the April 4, 2024, Planning Board meeting where the project was considered indicated little discussion and a unanimous board approval.' YOUR EMINENCE DOMAIN — ''Egregious land grab': Church will fight Toms River plan to seize land, knock it down,' by The Asbury Park Press' Jean Mikle: 'Christ Episcopal Church is prepared for a legal fight to block the township from acquiring its downtown property, with the support of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. In a letter read to the Christ Church congregation on May 4, New Jersey Episcopal Bishop Sally French said, 'I am writing as your bishop to assure you of my support.' Rev. French added that she was 'shocked and deeply disappointed to learn of the unjust attempt by the mayor and township council to take away this beautiful church property.' The Township Council voted 4 to 3 April 30 to introduce an ordinance to acquire the nearly 11-acre church property at 415 Washington St., either through negotiation, or, if necessary, through eminent domain … Mayor Daniel Rodrick envisions the church property as part of a large waterfront park, including a soccer field on the site of the church building, eight pickleball courts, a skatepark and large playground … Rodrick has argued that the heavily populated downtown area has few recreation options for residents. But some speakers at the April 30 meeting claimed the mayor's move to acquire the church came in response to an ongoing effort by the church and the Affordable Housing Alliance to build a 17-bed overnight shelter for the homeless on the Christ Church property.' IRROLEVANT — 'U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna endorses former Jersey City BOE Pres. Mussab Ali for mayor,' by Hudson County View's John Heinis: 'U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) is endorsing former Jersey Board of Education President Mussab Ali for mayor, citing his record of community leadership and vision for progressive change. 'I'm proud to endorse Mussab Ali for Mayor of Jersey City. He represents exactly the kind of next-generation leadership we need—young, progressive, and deeply rooted in his community,' Khanna said in a statement … This is the second endorsement Ali has secured from outside New Jersey, with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison supporting his mayoral ran back in February, as HCV first reported.' —'In South Jersey, school districts are raising property taxes and considering cuts' —'NJ threatens fines if Paterson budget isn't introduced by May 30' —'Paterson school board passes new budget with 4% tax hike, lowest in years' —'Sheriff's Office Det. Sarmiento rounds out McGreevey's Jersey City council slate' —'Atlantic City moves Caribbean music festival to placate high-rise residents' EVERYTHING ELSE LOSING MY RELIGION LAWSUIT — 'Learning about Islam in public schools isn't indoctrination, appeals court rules,' by NJ Advance Media's Colleen Murphy: 'A federal appeals court dismissed a parent's claim that her son's middle school curriculum violated the Constitution by teaching about Islam. The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld the constitutionality of a social studies curriculum that included instructional videos about Islam. In its decision issued Monday, the court said that the Chatham School District's curriculum does not show any signs of promoting a specific religion. However, the attorney for the plaintiff, Chatham parent, Libby Hilsenrath, said he intends to appeal the ruling … Her complaint named the Chatham School District and several school officials and teachers. Hilsenrath argued that the inclusion of instructional videos about Islam in a World Cultures and Geography class violated the establishment clause of the first amendment, claiming it amounted to religious indoctrination and coercion.' — 'Survivor N.J.: This school has a one-of-a-kind wilderness survival class. Gen Z can't get enough' —'Meet the latest 'Jeopardy!' champ: Sarah Gillis, a loan processor from Asbury Park'
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
He was once evicted by the RNC. Now he wants to be governor.
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey — As a young conservative activist in the 1990s, Bill Spadea stood proudly to the right in the Republican Party. He eschewed the 'big tent' axiom espoused by Republicans. He said President George H.W. Bush and the RNC's leadership were not conservative enough. He described himself as 'anti-homosexual.' And as chair of the College Republican National Committee, his fundraising tactics were condemned by multiple U.S. senators — including the late Bob Dole (R-Kan.). Now, Spadea is running for governor of New Jersey by trying to brand himself as the Republican candidate most aligned with President Donald Trump, who came within six points of winning the Garden State in 2024. The former conservative talk radio host is pledging to defund Planned Parenthood, espousing an 'unwavering' commitment to the Second Amendment and calling for a carbon copy of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The MAGA brand of Republicanism isn't just fueled by political upstarts — it's also giving longtime ideologues their biggest stage yet. Spadea's candidacy tests whether the once-insurgent right, sidelined for years even inside the GOP, can resonate in a state where the party has traditionally preferred moderate Republicans for governor. 'Bill has been an ideologue – he's always been an ideologue of true conservative principles,' Fred Bartlett Jr., who worked at the college RNC during Spadea's time in office, said in an interview. New Jersey has sent Republicans to the governor's mansion in the past, most recently Chris Christie. A younger Spadea found himself railing against one of those Republicans: Christine Todd Whitman, who he said was so moderate she shared many of the same views as the Democratic Party. 'No tent is big enough for diametrically opposed philosophies," a 26-year-old Spadea, then chair of the college RNC, told a reporter at the time. 'And to liberal Republicans who are pro-abortion, pro-gay rights, pro-big government and anti-Second Amendment, I say, look, there is already a party that represents all those fundamental beliefs." It was during that time Spadea, now 56, first drew the ire of Democrats and Republicans at a national level — and found himself earning headlines in the process. It's not an experience he refers to on the campaign trail; his leadership of the college RNC was a chaotic period where the national party defunded his group and evicted him from his office. 'I think it was visionary and I think it was tumultuous,' Bartlett said. Spadea's uncompromising positions continued as he built a career as conservative radio host in New Jersey — pushing against vaccine mandates and peddling 2020 election conspiracies. Today, Spadea's sharp-tongued rhetoric on the campaign trail, where he's running to succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, contrasts with his primary opponents: Jack Ciattarelli, who preaches GOP unity, and the moderate state Sen. Jon Bramnick, who has made civility in politics a key part of his political brand. (A longshot GOP candidate, Mario Kranjac, calls himself the 'only' true Trump Republican in the race.) 'If Bill Spadea is going to be the nominee he's going to tank our chances throughout the legislature,' said GOP Assemblymember Brian Bergen, a frequent Spadea critic. 'This guy is a self serving person who doesn't give a damn about making this state Republican. He only cares about himself.' In a statement to POLITICO, Spadea campaign manager Tom Bonfonti did not directly address Spadea's time as a young conservative activist or directly answer a list of questions but said that, '[u]nlike Jack Ciattarelli, Bill has always been a consistent and unapologetic conservative' and 'not a moderate career politician.' As a fresh college graduate, Spadea, began his career organizing young Republicans for George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign for president. Speaking with the press at the time, Spadea described the Presidential race against Bill Clinton as a 'war' for 'the soul of the country.' And he railed against his perceived liberal foes – namely 'tree huggers,' the 'cultural elite' who support political correctness and 'militant feminism and homosexuality.' "You don't get any homosexuals in our movement," a 23-year-old Spadea said. "You don't get any people who are sympathetic to the homosexual cause. We really don't want them, but they don't want any part of us." Despite working to get Bush another four years in office, the incumbent president was not an ideological fit for Spadea. "The president is not as conservative as we would like," Spadea said at the time. Still, the position introduced Spadea to political organizing — and perhaps a desire for higher office. In September 1992, an up-and-coming Robert Downey Jr. spoke with Spadea for a documentary on the presidential race, with a group of pro-Spadea Republicans interrupting the interview chanting: 'Bill for President!' Shortly after the Bush campaign, Spadea won a two-year term as chair of the college RNC starting in 1993. It is the only elected position Spadea has held — and it was a tumultuous tenure. Spadea's first major crisis as chair stemmed from a fundraising letter he signed that said Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) betrayed America for supporting President Bill Clinton's spending plan. 'In America treason was once punishable by hanging – so despicable was the offense of betrayal,' Spadea wrote in the fundraising mailer. 'I am not saying that Senator Kerrey committed treason. But still … you and I need to let Senator Kerrey know that his betrayal is still despicable – still deserving of punishment.' Democrats and Republicans took to the Senate floor in October 1993 to repudiate the mailer and Spadea. Sen. Jim Exon (D-Neb.) called it the 'most despicable piece of political literature that perhaps I have ever seen in my life.' Dole said that 'this is not the way that politics ought to be.' Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wanted Spadea to face financial ruin over the letter. 'I hope he does not raise the money that pays for the postage,' Reid said from the Senate floor. 'I hope he has personally signed a note for the postage. I hope he cannot pay it. I hope they file a lawsuit against him and assess costs and attorneys fees and garnish his wages, if he works. I hope they take his bank account. I hope they take his car to pay for the postage for this trash.' Spadea later told the Federal Election Commission that producing and distributing the fundraising letter cost $66,030 but only raised $18,512 — a net loss of $47,517. Kerrey said the letter enraged him so much that he mused about a physical fight with Spadea. "It said in the letter that we stopped lynching people. Well, we also stopped calling out people for duels, and it's a good thing for [Spadea]," Kerrey said at the time. "It's about as far out as I've seen. It makes me want to inflict bodily harm." Spadea told the Washington Post that he apologized to Kerrey over the letter. But just a few weeks later he said that Clinton, the media and Kerrey – who lost part of his leg in the Vietnam War — were 'a greater threat to individual liberty and limited constitutional government than the Viet Cong ever were.' 'Even winning the Medal of Honor doesn't give a man the right to vote his country into socialism,' Spadea said in a statement at the time From the start of his term as college RNC chair in 1993, Spadea viewed his role as keeping the Republican Party to the right. In an early letter he said the group could be 'instrumental' in ensuring the party remains close to the 'principled conservatism of Ronald Reagan' rather than 'self-serving pragmatism.' That goal caused him to clash with party leaders. Spadea was the editor of the Broadside, a newsletter from the college RNC. Under his leadership the publication ran opinion pieces from conservative activist Howard Phillips advocating for an alternative to the Republican Party, as well as an advertisement criticizing Bush and Reagan. The advocacy for a third party — which Spadea said he did not personally support — was the breaking point for national GOP leaders. In January 1995, top RNC officials wrote to Spadea that it would be cutting off funding for the group, changing the locks to their offices as well as any salaries funded by the RNC. RNC Chairman Haley Barbour wrote to Spadea that the college RNC engaged in 'irresponsible conduct.' Publicly, Spadea did little to make amends with the RNC. "We don't want to go back to the RNC," Spadea told the Associated Press. "I'm far to the right of Haley Barbour and I refuse to blindly toe the line.'' Exiled from the Washington office, Spadea found refuge with Phillips. The conservative activist let the college RNC use his office space above a deli in suburban Virginia — a downgrade from the Capitol Hill offices the group previously occupied. Spadea did not run for another term as chair of the group and found himself to be a pariah among Republicans. Several state college GOP leaders from across the country — including Arkansas, New York, North and South Carolina, Iowa and Louisiana — supported the RNC's decision, according to contemporaneous media reports. '[Spadea] has used his position to divide the CR's and build his own empire," Tony Zagotta, Spadea's predecessor as chair of the group who supported his candidacy, said in 1995. "He's been very destructive to our organization." Years after his time as a conservative youth activist, Spadea made two unsuccessful attempts for public office: Once running for Congress in 2004, when he moderated his message, and again in a special election for state Assembly in 2012. But Spadea found his largest following as a conservative media personality, hosting the morning drive-time slot for New Jersey 101.5. On the airwaves he frequently railed against pandemic restrictions and gained a reputation for jumping headfirst into culture war issues. Last year, he defended an MLB player who called a heckler a homophobic slur and also supported a New Jersey mayor who'd been caught using the n-word and joking about lynching Black people. And on the campaign trail, he's showing no signs he'll moderate his message before the June primary — or after, if he comes out on top. Spadea has said 'there is no such thing as a trans kid' and promised to install conservative Moms For Liberty activists to the state's top education roles. He envisions nearly unchecked governing authority, promising to rule by executive order for his first 100 days in office and 'ignore' the state Legislature and judiciary. Public polling shows Spadea trailing the frontrunner in the GOP primary, Ciattarelli, although the former radio host is still viewed as a serious competitor for the nomination. Some Republicans in the state are worried about the down ballot impact for Republicans if Spadea clinches the nomination — with Bergen saying 'without a doubt' he would lose the general election for 'silly' rhetoric he uses in the primary. 'Anybody can see the path painting Bill Spadea as somebody who is just a talk show host with zero experience in life, in anything, in leading anybody and would be a train wreck as governor,' he said. 'That's not a hard picture to paint.' For Spadea, being disliked by fellow Republicans is nothing new. 'We were just more conservative and we didn't really we didn't play politics,' Bartlett, who formerly worked at the college RNC, recalled from his time working with Spadea. 'We were uncompromising in our principles, and I don't think the party liked that.' — Eden Teshome contributed to this report.
Politico
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Politico
He was once evicted by the RNC. Now he wants to be governor.
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey — As a young conservative activist in the 1990s, Bill Spadea stood proudly to the right in the Republican Party. He eschewed the 'big tent' axiom espoused by Republicans. He said President George H.W. Bush and the RNC's leadership were not conservative enough. He described himself as 'anti-homosexual.' And as chair of the College Republican National Committee, his fundraising tactics were condemned by multiple U.S. senators — including the late Bob Dole (R-Kan.). Now, Spadea is running for governor of New Jersey by trying to brand himself as the Republican candidate most aligned with President Donald Trump, who came within six points of winning the Garden State in 2024. The former conservative talk radio host is pledging to defund Planned Parenthood , espousing an ' unwavering ' commitment to the Second Amendment and calling for a carbon copy of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The MAGA brand of Republicanism isn't just fueled by political upstarts — it's also giving longtime ideologues their biggest stage yet. Spadea's candidacy tests whether the once-insurgent right, sidelined for years even inside the GOP, can resonate in a state where the party has traditionally preferred moderate Republicans for governor. 'Bill has been an ideologue – he's always been an ideologue of true conservative principles,' Fred Bartlett Jr., who worked at the college RNC during Spadea's time in office, said in an interview. New Jersey has sent Republicans to the governor's mansion in the past, most recently Chris Christie. A younger Spadea found himself railing against one of those Republicans: Christine Todd Whitman, who he said was so moderate she shared many of the same views as the Democratic Party. 'No tent is big enough for diametrically opposed philosophies,' a 26-year-old Spadea, then chair of the college RNC, told a reporter at the time. 'And to liberal Republicans who are pro-abortion, pro-gay rights, pro-big government and anti-Second Amendment, I say, look, there is already a party that represents all those fundamental beliefs.' It was during that time Spadea, now 56, first drew the ire of Democrats and Republicans at a national level — and found himself earning headlines in the process. It's not an experience he refers to on the campaign trail; his leadership of the college RNC was a chaotic period where the national party defunded his group and evicted him from his office. 'I think it was visionary and I think it was tumultuous,' Bartlett said. Spadea's uncompromising positions continued as he built a career as conservative radio host in New Jersey — pushing against vaccine mandates and peddling 2020 election conspiracies. Today, Spadea's sharp-tongued rhetoric on the campaign trail, where he's running to succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, contrasts with his primary opponents: Jack Ciattarelli, who preaches GOP unity, and the moderate state Sen. Jon Bramnick, who has made civility in politics a key part of his political brand. (A longshot GOP candidate, Mario Kranjac, calls himself the 'only' true Trump Republican in the race.) 'If Bill Spadea is going to be the nominee he's going to tank our chances throughout the legislature,' said GOP Assemblymember Brian Bergen, a frequent Spadea critic. 'This guy is a self serving person who doesn't give a damn about making this state Republican. He only cares about himself.' In a statement to POLITICO, Spadea campaign manager Tom Bonfonti did not directly address Spadea's time as a young conservative activist or directly answer a list of questions but said that, '[u]nlike Jack Ciattarelli, Bill has always been a consistent and unapologetic conservative' and 'not a moderate career politician.' As a fresh college graduate, Spadea, began his career organizing young Republicans for George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign for president. Speaking with the press at the time, Spadea described the Presidential race against Bill Clinton as a 'war' for 'the soul of the country.' And he railed against his perceived liberal foes – namely ' tree huggers ,' the 'cultural elite' who support political correctness and ' militant feminism and homosexuality .' 'You don't get any homosexuals in our movement,' a 23-year-old Spadea said . 'You don't get any people who are sympathetic to the homosexual cause. We really don't want them, but they don't want any part of us.' Despite working to get Bush another four years in office, the incumbent president was not an ideological fit for Spadea. 'The president is not as conservative as we would like,' Spadea said at the time . Still, the position introduced Spadea to political organizing — and perhaps a desire for higher office. In September 1992, an up-and-coming Robert Downey Jr. spoke with Spadea for a documentary on the presidential race , with a group of pro-Spadea Republicans interrupting the interview chanting: 'Bill for President!' Shortly after the Bush campaign, Spadea won a two-year term as chair of the college RNC starting in 1993. It is the only elected position Spadea has held — and it was a tumultuous tenure. Spadea's first major crisis as chair stemmed from a fundraising letter he signed that said Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) betrayed America for supporting President Bill Clinton's spending plan. 'In America treason was once punishable by hanging – so despicable was the offense of betrayal,' Spadea wrote in the fundraising mailer. 'I am not saying that Senator Kerrey committed treason. But still … you and I need to let Senator Kerrey know that his betrayal is still despicable – still deserving of punishment.' Democrats and Republicans took to the Senate floor in October 1993 to repudiate the mailer and Spadea. Sen. Jim Exon (D-Neb.) called it the 'most despicable piece of political literature that perhaps I have ever seen in my life.' Dole said that 'this is not the way that politics ought to be.' Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wanted Spadea to face financial ruin over the letter. 'I hope he does not raise the money that pays for the postage,' Reid said from the Senate floor. 'I hope he has personally signed a note for the postage. I hope he cannot pay it. I hope they file a lawsuit against him and assess costs and attorneys fees and garnish his wages, if he works. I hope they take his bank account. I hope they take his car to pay for the postage for this trash.' Spadea later told the Federal Election Commission that producing and distributing the fundraising letter cost $66,030 but only raised $18,512 — a net loss of $47,517. Kerrey said the letter enraged him so much that he mused about a physical fight with Spadea. 'It said in the letter that we stopped lynching people. Well, we also stopped calling out people for duels, and it's a good thing for [Spadea],' Kerrey said at the time. 'It's about as far out as I've seen. It makes me want to inflict bodily harm.' Spadea told the Washington Post that he apologized to Kerrey over the letter. But just a few weeks later he said that Clinton, the media and Kerrey – who lost part of his leg in the Vietnam War — were 'a greater threat to individual liberty and limited constitutional government than the Viet Cong ever were.' 'Even winning the Medal of Honor doesn't give a man the right to vote his country into socialism,' Spadea said in a statement at the time From the start of his term as college RNC chair in 1993, Spadea viewed his role as keeping the Republican Party to the right. In an early letter he said the group could be 'instrumental' in ensuring the party remains close to the ' principled conservatism of Ronald Reagan ' rather than 'self-serving pragmatism.' That goal caused him to clash with party leaders. Spadea was the editor of the Broadside , a newsletter from the college RNC. Under his leadership the publication ran opinion pieces from conservative activist Howard Phillips advocating for an alternative to the Republican Party, as well as an advertisement criticizing Bush and Reagan. The advocacy for a third party — which Spadea said he did not personally support — was the breaking point for national GOP leaders. In January 1995, top RNC officials wrote to Spadea that it would be cutting off funding for the group, changing the locks to their offices as well as any salaries funded by the RNC. RNC Chairman Haley Barbour wrote to Spadea that the college RNC engaged in 'irresponsible conduct.' Publicly, Spadea did little to make amends with the RNC. 'We don't want to go back to the RNC,' Spadea told the Associated Press. 'I'm far to the right of Haley Barbour and I refuse to blindly toe the line.'' Exiled from the Washington office, Spadea found refuge with Phillips. The conservative activist let the college RNC use his office space above a deli in suburban Virginia — a downgrade from the Capitol Hill offices the group previously occupied. Spadea did not run for another term as chair of the group and found himself to be a pariah among Republicans. Several state college GOP leaders from across the country — including Arkansas, New York, North and South Carolina, Iowa and Louisiana — supported the RNC's decision, according to contemporaneous media reports. '[Spadea] has used his position to divide the CR's and build his own empire,' Tony Zagotta, Spadea's predecessor as chair of the group who supported his candidacy, said in 1995 . 'He's been very destructive to our organization.' Years after his time as a conservative youth activist, Spadea made two unsuccessful attempts for public office: Once running for Congress in 2004, when he moderated his message, and again in a special election for state Assembly in 2012. But Spadea found his largest following as a conservative media personality, hosting the morning drive-time slot for New Jersey 101.5. On the airwaves he frequently railed against pandemic restrictions and gained a reputation for jumping headfirst into culture war issues. Last year, he defended an MLB player who called a heckler a homophobic slur and also supported a New Jersey mayor who'd been caught using the n-word and joking about lynching Black people. And on the campaign trail, he's showing no signs he'll moderate his message before the June primary — or after, if he comes out on top. Spadea has said 'there is no such thing as a trans kid' and promised to install conservative Moms For Liberty activists to the state's top education roles. He envisions nearly unchecked governing authority, promising to rule by executive order for his first 100 days in office and ' ignore ' the state Legislature and judiciary. Public polling shows Spadea trailing the frontrunner in the GOP primary, Ciattarelli, although the former radio host is still viewed as a serious competitor for the nomination. Some Republicans in the state are worried about the down ballot impact for Republicans if Spadea clinches the nomination — with Bergen saying 'without a doubt' he would lose the general election for 'silly' rhetoric he uses in the primary. 'Anybody can see the path painting Bill Spadea as somebody who is just a talk show host with zero experience in life, in anything, in leading anybody and would be a train wreck as governor,' he said. 'That's not a hard picture to paint.' For Spadea, being disliked by fellow Republicans is nothing new. 'We were just more conservative and we didn't really we didn't play politics,' Bartlett, who formerly worked at the college RNC, recalled from his time working with Spadea. 'We were uncompromising in our principles, and I don't think the party liked that.' — Eden Teshome contributed to this report.
