Holmdel, NJ– In his home state of New Jersey, President Donald Trump has emerged victorious on primary election night as his endorsed candidate, Jack Ciattarelli, secured a landslide victory in the New Jersey Republican gubernatorial primary, decisively defeating former radio host Bill Spadea.
The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed on June 10, with Ciattarelli capturing 67.5% of the vote with 17% counted, solidifying his position as the GOP nominee to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Phil Murphy should he win in November’s general election.
Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman and the Republican nominee in 2021, leaned heavily on Trump’s endorsement, which proved to be a game-changer in the contentious primary.
Trump’s support, announced on May 12 via Truth Social, described Ciattarelli as a “terrific America First Candidate” who had gone “ALL IN” on the MAGA agenda. The endorsement, coupled with Ciattarelli’s established name recognition and robust fundraising—$3.5 million compared to Spadea’s roughly half that amount—cemented his dominance across all 21 New Jersey counties.
“It’s about vision, not division,” Ciattarelli declared to supporters at Bell Works in Holmdel, crediting his victory to “positive energy” and a focus on critical issues like capping property taxes and improving public safety. He also thanked “New Jersey’s favorite part-time resident,” Donald Trump, for his pivotal endorsement.
Spadea, who positioned himself as the “true Trump ally” and was backed by pnly Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, struggled to gain traction despite a surge in grassroots enthusiasm.
His campaign took a significant hit when Trump endorsed Ciattarelli, a decision Spadea described as “a punch to the gut.” In a statement to Fox News, Spadea accused Ciattarelli of misrepresenting his record and vowed to continue fighting for the “America First agenda,” but stopped short of conceding.
Echoing his stance from 2021, when he withheld support for Ciattarelli, Spadea has indicated he will not endorse his rival, a move that previously contributed to Governor Murphy’s narrow 3% victory over Ciattarelli.
Spadea now looks like the Japanese World War II soldiers who continued fighting the war long after the United States dropped two atomic bombs and their nation surrendered in defeat. Holed up in caves in the jungles, those soldiers refused to surrender, some for years. It is expected that Spadea will do the same.
The loss was a crushing blow for Spadea and his key supporter, George Gilmore, whose influence in Ocean County appears to be waning.
Voter turnout in Ocean County races was notably low, and Gilmore-aligned candidates suffered defeats in contested areas, prompting calls for new leadership in 2026.
Political observers note that Gilmore’s focus may have shifted from winning elections to earning a buck for himself, with some county Republicans openly questioning his effectiveness as chairman.
Ciattarelli’s victory sets the stage for a high-stakes general election against Democratic nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill, with the race expected to serve as an early bellwether for voter sentiment in the first year of Trump’s second term.
Trump’s stronger-than-expected performance in New Jersey in 2024, narrowing the presidential margin to 6 points, has fueled GOP optimism about flipping the governor’s mansion for the first time since Chris Christie’s tenure ended in 2018.
Ciattarelli’s close alignment with Trump, a polarizing figure in the Democratic-leaning state, could pose challenges in November.
Democrats, led by Sherrill, are framing the race as a referendum on Trump, accusing Ciattarelli of cozying up to the president for political gain. Ciattarelli, for his part, is emphasizing state-level issues like affordability and safety, while extending an olive branch to moderates and independents.
As the dust settles, Spadea’s refusal to concede and Gilmore’s diminished clout underscore the fractures within the New Jersey GOP. Whether Spadea and his supporters will rally behind Ciattarelli remains uncertain, but with Trump’s backing and a unified campaign, Ciattarelli is poised to leverage the former president’s influence in a bid to make New Jerseyans “move on” from Democratic leadership.
There are now rumors that some leaders within the party will soon be calling upon Gilmore to resign from his position in light of the overwhelming defeat and the desperate need to rally Republican voters in Ocean County. Without the Republican organization’s dedicated effort in Ocean County, one of the largest Republican strongholds in New Jersey, the party could be headed for failure with Gilmore’s obstructionist behavior and personal desperate need to turn politics into cash.
If Gilmore chooses the path of obstructionism in Ocean County, there’s a chance he and Spadea can once again sink Ciattarelli and Republicans in November.
