Who is President Trump endorsing for governor in New Jersey?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is repeating history. In 2021, he sat on the sidelines in the New Jersey Gubernatorial election.
He had a very good reason.
The candidate running for office at the time, Jack Ciattarelli, called him unfit for the office.
Now, one Bill Spadea-aligned political insider who serves on the board of the candidate’s Common Sense Club PAC, George Nader, is demanding Trump pick a side and do it now.
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You don’t have to read between the lines to see who they want Trump to endorse. The guy they paid $225,000 to, Bill Spadea, of course. But, can Trump ring the golden bell for a man who wrote a blistering op-ed about him being a failure? I think we know the answer on that one.
The President once again has maintained radio silence. After all, each of the three major candidates vying for his coveted endorsement has said some not-so-nice things about the leader of the Republican Party in America.
There’s Bill Spadea, who not only said Trump failed but openly supported Trump’s opponent, Ron DeSantis, in the GOP primary election cycle.
Then there’s John Bramnick, a New Jersey Senator who has never spoken too ill of the President as the others have, but made it abundantly clear why he disagrees and did not support Trump.
Mr. President, please make a choice now.
-George Nader, Board member, Common Sense Club PAC
Now, George Nader a ‘conservative commentator’, is publicly pressuring President Donald Trump to make an endorsement in the hotly contested New Jersey governor’s race, arguing the president holds the key to the Republican nomination.
The demand, issued days ago, has not been answered by the President.
Key Points
- George Nader published an op-ed urging Trump to endorse a GOP candidate in New Jersey’s governor’s race.
- Leading Republican contenders Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea are competing for Trump’s support.
- Trump’s best move in New Jersey is to let the primary play itself out and endorse the candidate selected by the voters in the primary election.
In an opinion column released Monday, Nader emphasized Trump’s continuing influence within the Republican Party, even in heavily Democratic New Jersey.
“President Trump’s endorsement will decide who the New Jersey Republicans will nominate for governor this year,” Nader wrote.
The two frontrunners in the GOP primary are former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli and conservative radio host Bill Spadea.
Ciattarelli, who previously distanced himself from Trump during his 2021 gubernatorial campaign, has shifted his approach and is now leaning into the president’s political orbit.
Ciattarelli and the President met in Bedminster a few weeks ago, in a meeting that Ciattarelli said ‘went well’ on social media.
Spadea, by contrast, has also sharply criticized Trump. Last week, he doubled down on his op-ed explaining three reasons why Trump failed in his first presidency, and said he has since spoken to the President about that sharply criticizing op-ed.
Trump’s silence adds anxiety and tension to GOP primary
The battle for Trump’s support has become a defining element of the race. According to Nader, the 47th president’s endorsement “could dramatically alter the trajectory of the race and tap into the cherished 1.96 million MAGA votes” in New Jersey.
Let’s face it, they’re all going mad, and losing it because they’ve been fighting each other for the admiration of the President, and so far, it looks like Trump isn’t buying it. Knowing the President, he probably isn’t going to buy it.
Advisers close to Trump are reportedly divided.
Some have urged him to avoid involvement in the state’s primary, while others believe his intervention could help consolidate Republican support and boost the party’s chances in a state that has been largely controlled by Democrats for decades.
What we do know is that many members of the Trump circle are not happy with Bill Spadea’s fundraising that uses the President’s name, only to learn that the PAC he operates paid an LLC called BillSpadea.Com LLC $225,000 as of January, 2025.
Nader argues that now is the time for Trump to act. “Mr. President, please make a choice now,” he wrote, suggesting that a timely endorsement could provide the GOP with a path to victory in the general election.
Nader published his piece in the New Jersey Globe, but so far, it doesn’t seem like Trump is paying much attention to it.
Trump so far is doing the right thing for the New Jersey voters, he is letting them decide who is going to win in June. And, that’s why we elected him.
As far as we’re concerned, the President is doing the RIGHT thing by holding the line. Sure, the President can make a call, but what if his candidate loses the primary? It will be an embarrassment. Let the voters of New Jersey decide in June. Don’t reward bad actors who trashed your name when it was convenient and safe for them.
Phil Stilton / Shore News Network