It’s been two months since Jack Ciattarelli’s landslide Republican gubernatorial primary victory, Save Jerseyans, and the GOP nominee’s two closest (relatively speaking) rivals have yet to offer a formal endorsement.
Ciattarelli amassed 67.8% of the primary vote in June, united most of the Trump coalition and winning all 21 counties regardless of the local Republican Party’s allegiance. Former NJ 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea finished a distant second with just 21.8%, and he’s been conspicuously muted in the public arena since the surprisingly-wide loss. Never one to be shy, Spadea has only posted on a X a handful of times in recent weeks and hasn’t made an advertised public appearances at a Republican event. He did, however, wade into Election 2025’s hottest issue this week with praise for… Ciattarelli?
Nope. Chris Christie:
It’s undeniably true New Jersey should’ve continued to invest in natural gas instead of offshore wind over the past several years. But the GOP nominee (Ciattarelli) is saying the same thing with more volume (for higher stakes). Why amplify Christie? Instead of Jack? What’s the good faith explanation for that choice?
Bill also ignored the Christie Administration’s key role in backing offshore wind development when it KNEW doing so would lead to electricity bill hikes. The following is from NJ Spotlight way back in June 2010…
“Is it expensive? Yes,” replied [Christie DEP Commissioner Bob] Martin, but he argued the cost of wind power is dramatically less than the cost of solar electricity, which is running about 60 to 70 cents a kilowatt hour. Offshore wind is expected to cost in the range of 18 to 24 cents a kilowatt hour, Martin said. Today, the cost of electricity paid by New Jersey consumers, which includes a fraction from renewable energy sources, runs about 11 cents a kilowatt hour.
Martin defended the offshore wind bill, saying it provides a jump start for the state to get out in front of other states, which also are looking to attract green jobs by attracting wind turbine manufacturers to their states. New Jersey is well positioned to be a leader in the industry because it already has done a comprehensive environmental study assessing impacts on marine, fish and bird life; it has four companies interested in building offshore wind farms; and it has been talking to a wind turbine manufacturer about locating here, Martin said.
Christie remains deeply unpopular with the Republican base both inside and outside of New Jersey. Rightly so. It had been widely rumored during the primary season that Christie, known to strongly dislike Ciattarelli, was actively pulling for Spadea who was backed by his longtime ally, Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore.
Spadea hasn’t made an endorsement in Election 2025 and isn’t expected to do so.
Meanwhile, State Senator Jon Bramnick (R-21) pledged to support the eventual Republican nominee during a primary season debate but has yet to formally issue an endorsement. Whether it would matter is questionable: Bramnick secured only 6.3% of the primary vote.
