There weren’t many standout moments in the second-to-last GOP gubernatorial primary debate, Save Jerseyans, but social media did discuss Bill Spadea’s apparent refusal to commit to supporting the eventual party nominee.
Both Jack Ciattarelli and Jon Bramnick answered moderator David Cruz’s question with the same word: “absolutely.”
“It’s a better question for Jack because he did not want my support or President Trump’s support…” Spadea replied when it was his turn to answer before the conversation descended into low-grade chaos.
“@Jack4N/@JonBramnick both said they would support the winner, why can’t @BillSpadea just answer it,” opined the X handle @WakeUpNJ. “If you care “…Saving this state”, you answer YES! If your supporters stay home, we lose to the Dems I will support the winner, because the goal here is to Flip NJ Red.”
“@BillSpadea doesn’t need to answer it because he knows he will be the winner,” countered a follower of the account.
Spadea’s strategy – if that’s what it was – isn’t without precedent; then-candidate Trump famously refused to commit to backing the GOP nominee during the 2016 GOP Primary Reagan Library debate. Still, Spadea has taken some heat from certain Republicans for the perception that he was insufficiently supportive or even anti-Ciattarelli in 2021. Phil Murphy ultimately ended up winning an surprisingly narrow 3-point contest.
“If you’re voting for a Republican just because he’s better than Murphy? Don’t bother,” Spadea explained at the time during an interview.
Here’s the video:
MODERATOR: Will you support the winner of this primary, yes or no?
CIATTARELLI: Absolutely
BRAMNICK: Absolutely
SPADEA: …
Spadea backed ultimate loser @JerseyRizzo in 2021 who Ciattarelli CRUSHED by 25 points.
Spadea doesn’t care about @NJGOP or NJ. Only his pockets & ego. pic.twitter.com/TSkipxkgM5
— Santino D’Agostino (@SantinoJD11) May 8, 2025
