Bill Spadea, a Republican candidate for governor, is confident that his message, combined with strong grassroots voter outreach, will help him rise above his rivals on Primary Day, June 10th—or at least give him a strong start.
A radio host, media personality, Marine Corps veteran, founder of the Common Sense Club (a nonprofit focused on fiscal conservatism), and businessman, Spadea first ran for office in 2004, challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Rush Holt.
Over the years, he has clashed with the Chris Christie political machine and carved out a role as a populist, staunchly opposing the political establishment.
Spadea’s knack for communication has helped him build connections with people, argue from a conservative standpoint, and foster friendships even amid heated debates. Reflecting on past campaigns, including his 2012 run in the LD-16 district, Spadea sees his current statewide race as a new opportunity.
So, what’s different this time?
“I have a clear path to victory,” Spadea said with confidence. “I believe in retail politics, and my success in broadcasting [as a 101.5 FM host] has given me an audience.
I have a real relationship with that audience, something no other Republican candidate in this primary has. We’re reaching far more people than the competition.”
He points to the 2021 Republican Primary, where candidates Phil Rizzo and Hirsh Singh combined to win 160,155 votes—nearly as many as party nominee Jack Ciattarelli (168,000).
“Without the party line, there’s an opportunity for a populist, grassroots conservative,” Spadea added. “Voters know Jack, but they’re not interested in him, especially considering the combined support Rizzo and Singh got four years ago.”
Spadea’s antagonism toward Christie’s old allies continues to energize him.
“The Republican elites are attacking me now, just like they did back then,” he said. “That’s fine because the backroom is why the Republican Party is out of touch with regular people. What does the party stand for? There are good people, but the complacency of the backroom protects itself at the expense of voters.”
He sees himself as a true populist.
“Think about it,” Spadea urged. “Two unknown candidates won 50% of the primary vote against Jack.”
Ciattarelli’s allies, of course, disagree, arguing their candidate will dominate Spadea. But when Spadea delves into the issues, he’s animated.
“The key issues in this race? Affordability, public safety, and government efficiency,” he explained. “It’s not just about wasted billions—it’s about a government that isn’t responsive.
There’s so much frustration, and I’ve learned about it from my years on the air. COVID was a turning point when Governor Phil Murphy earned an F-minus on business and failed to address education losses.
Other states did better, and we didn’t. It was a disaster. Government seemed disconnected from regular people.”But Spadea traces the root of the problem back even further.
“Christie Todd Whitman’s pension scheme and tax cuts taught us what not to do,” he said. “Jim Florio’s tax hikes before her did the same. Both parties are responsible for the spending problem. Every time the legislature moves, the governor moves, and no one talks about the real issue—spending.”
Spadea wants to dramatically cut state spending to improve New Jerseyans’ quality of life, without the gimmicks, like the Democrats’ Stay NJ program, which he argues offers small benefits to seniors while not tackling high property taxes.
How does he plan to do it?
He wants to end New Jersey’s status as a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants. He believes he’s the best Republican candidate for the job.
“Jack Ciattarelli supported driver’s licenses for illegals and taxpayer subsidies for in-state college tuition for illegals,” Spadea pointed out. “It wasn’t just Democrats fueling illegal immigration in New Jersey; weak Republicans like Jack are also to blame.”
Spadea estimates that cracking down on illegal immigration could save New Jersey billions. “The state budget nearly doubled from $35 billion when Christie left office to over $58 billion now.
Republicans, like Jack, accepted this status quo. They campaigned for crumbs from the Democrats while protecting their interests. I plan to cut costs, including healthcare, programming, infrastructure, and the burdens associated with undocumented workers.
I’ll take over the Newark Public School System, transition kids on charter waiting lists into charters, and renegotiate teacher pensions to find savings.”
As the Democratic field for governor heats up, Spadea isn’t shy about taking on his Republican rivals.
“I’ve known Jon Bramnick for a long time, and I believe him when he says he’d shut down the government if the Democrats don’t pass his budget. But I’m not sure how he connects with voters after years of taking crumbs from Democrats,” Spadea said.
On Ciattarelli’s proposal to combine agencies to reduce waste, Spadea was blunt: “It’s all talk. He’s flip-flopped on key issues and is more aligned with Democrats than Republicans.
His plan to consolidate departments is nothing more than empty rhetoric.”
But what about the Democrats? Who does Spadea fear the most?
“All the Democratic candidates are attacking Trump,” Spadea said. “But look at the stock market rebound and job growth under Trump. It’s clear people are moving past Biden’s failures. The Democrats are stuck defending Murphy and Biden, and there’s real fatigue with both.”
Spadea sees his organizational strength in key Republican counties like Ocean, with the backing of Republican strongman George Gilmore, and he’s confident that his grassroots efforts in towns dominated by his rivals will pay off.
“We’re building momentum, and it’s clear we’ve got the support we need,” he said, heading off to a town hall in Hainesport.