“The issue in the primary is who’s the most Trump-loyal candidate in the race”
“The first debate in February set the stage for a nasty primary, and that hasn’t changed”
TRENTON, NJ – As “allegiance to Trump has become a top issue in the race” for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, the candidates’ knock-down drag-out fight for Trump’s hardcore supporters played out in living color this week.
With “Ciattarelli and Spadea arguing over who is the bigger supporter of Trump,” and one long month to go until Republican primary voters make their decision, here’s what those voters saw this week:
NJ Spotlight: GOP candidates vow change, battle each other
- Three Republican candidates for governor sparred over issues, support for Trump agenda
- As during the only other GOP debate in February, Wednesday night’s discussion sponsored by NJ PBS and WNYC radio devolved into shouting multiple times, making it difficult at times to hear the points the candidates were trying to make.
- The loudest sparring was between Ciattarelli and Spadea, who are both courting pro-Trump, conservative voters… arguing over who is the bigger supporter of Trump, who has not made an endorsement.
NJ.com: Big, bitter moments in N.J. Republican governor debate: A special edition of What Makes Jersey Run
- It‘s no secret Ciattarelli and Spadea don‘t like each other. They have called each other phonies and liars, and they’ve been in a very sour fight for MAGA supporters and Trump’s endorsement.
- But someone has to win the primary.
- The primary has been dominated by the president, and both Ciattarelli and Spadea continued their praise for Trump.
NBC News: Trump looms over New Jersey campaign as GOP looks to build on 2024 gains
- The New Jersey governor’s race could be President Donald Trump’s first chance, since returning to the White House, to sway a major GOP primary — and allegiance to Trump has become a top issue in the race.
- “By and large, the issue in the primary is who’s the most Trump-loyal candidate in the race,” [GOP strategist Jeanette] Hoffman added.
- Spadea launched his first TV ad this week, playing audio of Trump’s appearance on his radio show from last May, when Trump told Spadea, “You’ve had my back from the beginning” and criticized Ciattarelli for not asking Trump to campaign with him during his unsuccessful run for governor in 2021, which ended in a narrow defeat.
- Ciattarelli also declined to say whether he disagreed with any of Trump’s actions in his second term.
- “I’ve been with him since the escalator,” Spadea told NBC News, referring to when Trump launched his first presidential campaign a decade ago.
- Ciattarelli did not campaign with Trump [during his last losing campaign]. But this year, during a February debate, Ciattarelli joined the other candidates in saying they would welcome Trump to campaign in the Garden State.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea’s rivalry dominates another GOP debate for N.J. governor
- A bitter rivalry between two GOP candidates repeatedly interrupted another GOP debate for New Jersey governor last night.
- The first debate in February set the stage for a nasty primary, and that hasn’t changed – at least between former conservative radio host Bill Spadea and former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, who lost the Republican primary in 2017 then won the nomination in 2021 before losing the general election by about three points to Gov. Phil Murphy.
- They talked over each other. They called each other “insiders.” Cruz threatened to shut their microphones off less than 20 minutes into the one hour discussion.
- The two candidates’ bickering lasted until the very end of the debate.
Politico NJ Playbook: NJ Spotlight News’ Fight Night
- [The GOP debate this week] 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.
- “It’s all about character. You have none,” Ciattarelli told Spadea. “You’re sad and desperate,” Spadea responded.
###