New Jersey Republicans in the social media sphere in particular continue to debate the impact of last week’s endorsement by President Trump in the gubernatorial contest.
Ciattarelli supporters naturally believe the president’s blessing is – or at least should be – tantamount to the house lights coming on at the end of a concert.
“Now that the leader of our party has spoken about this critical race in November, it is time for all candidates to unite around his choice and turn our focus to defeating the radical Democrats,” opined Monmouth County Sheriff and GOP Chairman Shaun Golden. “While Democratic candidates continue to position themselves further to the left, including charging a federal immigration detention center—a move that endangered law enforcement and the public-at-large, our opponents remain steadfast in their support of Bill Spadea, whose campaign has, sadly, become nothing more than a piggybank for greedy consultants. It’s time for all of our Republican candidates to back Jack Ciattarelli and President Trump.”
Golden is seeking reelection this year alongside County Clerk Christine Hanlon and Commissioners Tom Arnone and Nick DiRocco in a county which lies right in the heart of the NJ 101.5 core listening area of the station’s former morning drive time host, Bill Spadea. The Spadea team has allied candidate running against the county party’s incumbents in the vote rich Jersey Shore county.
It’s not just the GOP that’s focused on the president’s intervention. Democrat frontrunner Mikie Sherrill spent most of her final debate performance talking about Trump.
Spadea’s supporters, on the other hand, run the spectrum of emotions between disappointment, anger, and determination amid polling numbers which suggest a possibly sizable Ciattarelli lead.
“Trump’s endorsement of Jack Ciattarelli is a major mistake. What a nightmare,” X influencer and impersonator Shawn Farash tweeted after the big new broke. The son of General Michael Flynn (whose famous father recently campaigned for Spadea in Ocean County) went so far as suggesting the president’s campaign had been bribed.
The candidate himself struck a stoic albeit critical note.
“We fight. 28 days to go. @realDonaldTrump endorsed a poll not a plan,” Spadea posted on May 12th. “We have the only plan and core principles to restore common sense to New Jersey government. Let’s go win. Join us!“
The GOP candidates will meet for a final debate on May 20th in Newark co-hosted by SaveJersey.com; Primary Day itself is June 10th. A recent Emerson poll found 53% of registered voters wanting a new governor who will work with the president as opposed to standing up against him, a hopeful sign for the eventual Republican nominee whomever he may be.
