TRENTON, NJ — The Republican primary race for New Jersey governor intensified Wednesday as leading candidates launched campaign events, released new ads, and secured endorsements across the state.
Bill Spadea, a former radio host and declared 2025 Republican gubernatorial candidate, announced a high-profile fundraiser featuring retired General Michael Flynn.
The event, set for Saturday, May 10 in Seaside Heights, offers $5,800 photo-ops and $3,000 roundtable access. The brunch reception, hosted by Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, will take place at Ocean View on the boardwalk.
Gilmore was also on hand, supervising Spadea during a meeting with a handful of educators.
“Spadea congratulated Toms River for rejecting their school budget after the district has been decimated by Murphy S2 funding,” his campaign said in a release, criticizing Governor Phil Murphy’s school aid redistribution policy.
The district will now now have to figure out how to pay for services next year, with possible cuts, school closings, and layoffs likely.
Meanwhile, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli continued his own campaign push with a town hall Wednesday night in Passaic County. Partnering with the Wayne Republican Club and local GOP officials, Ciattarelli also unveiled a new campaign ad slamming the Murphy administration’s proposed energy equity pricing.
Ciattarelli and Bramnick continue outreach as Spadea tries to replenish diminishing campaign coffers with quick fix.
“Phil Murphy and Trenton Democrats want to hike your electric bill based on your income — not your energy use,” Ciattarelli said in the ad, calling the proposed policy “insanity.” The campaign framed it as part of a broader cost-of-living message aimed at suburban and working-class voters.
Senator Jon Bramnick, also seeking the Republican nomination, spent the day in Atlantic City, where he met with members of the New Jersey Association for Justice. “Appreciate the support in Atlantic City,” Bramnick wrote on social media Wednesday evening.
All three candidates have maintained active schedules in recent weeks, with the GOP primary still over a year away. The early start to campaigning and fundraising signals a highly competitive race to challenge the Democratic nominee in 2025.
Spadea, Ciattarelli, and Bramnick represent different wings of the party, setting the stage for a primary that could test the ideological direction of the New Jersey GOP.