Kevin McCarthy was only four votes short of the speaker’s gavel as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, but the most dramatic speakership election in at least 100 years is producing – or perhaps revealing – divisions within the GOP both on the House floor and across all 50 states. New Jersey is no exception.
The two (super early) leading candidates for the 2025 NJGOP gubernatorial primary – Jack Ciattarelli (the 2021 nominee who’s already declared) and Bill Spadea (the NJ 101.5 host who hasn’t announced but started a PAC) – both staked out very different opinions of the stalemate over the past 24 hours.
“For the sake of the country, the circus in DC needs to end,” Ciattarelli tweeted on Thursday morning. “If R’s want to win more elections, we need to prove we can govern, avoid extremes, build consensus, lower taxes & spending, expand economic & educational opportunities, fix immigration & keep people safe.”
For the sake of the country, the circus in DC needs to end. If R’s want to win more elections, we need to prove we can govern, avoid extremes, build consensus, lower taxes & spending, expand economic & educational opportunities, fix immigration & keep people safe.
— Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) January 5, 2023
Meanwhile, Spadea struck out against former Republican Governor Christine Todd Whitman early Friday and voiced support for McCarthy’s defeat:
Can’t believe I have to agree with former Governor Christine Whitman here…
We don’t agree on much but she’s spot on here. It’s past time for @kevinomccarthy to step aside. #CommonGround https://t.co/SyTB0xSJVQ
— Bill Spadea (@BillSpadea) January 6, 2023
