Trump endorsement in NJ governor race sparks backlash from MAGA ally
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A key supporter of Bill Spadea’s gubernatorial election in New Jersey is publicly reversing course on his call for President Donald Trump to endorse a candidate in the state’s 2025 gubernatorial primary, following Trump’s decision to back former Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli.
George Nader, an engineer from Morris Township and board member of the Common Sense Club — the political nonprofit tied to GOP candidate Bill Spadea — had previously urged Trump to intervene, stating, “Mr. President, please make a choice now.”
But after Trump endorsed Ciattarelli over Spadea, Nader blasted the move, saying, “Respectfully Mr. President, you should have stayed out of this race. Your endorsement of Ciattarelli is a blow to your MAGA movement.”
That flip-flop led to criticism from Mike Crispi, a Trump delegate and head of America First New Jersey against the Spadea campaign.
“The Spadea cult is not MAGA. It was all a grift until they didn’t get their way. Now they attack Trump viciously like their leader Spadea did in 2021,” Crispi said.
The split highlights internal divisions among New Jersey Republicans as the party attempts to mount a serious challenge in a deep blue state.
Ciattarelli, who lost to Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, is widely viewed as a more moderate Republican, while Spadea has positioned himself as an unapologetic conservative aligned with the America First wing of the party. Spadea ran unsuccessfully and lost in two previous campaigns for public office in New Jersey.
According to sources within the President’s circle, Trump was privately angered by Spadea’s fundraising tactics. The Common Sense Club, run by Nader’s wife Elizabeth Nader, was accused of raising money using the Trump name and likeness, and later paid Spadea’s company, BillSpadea.Com LLC, nearly $250,000. Spadea stated those payments were overhead expenses and that the group still owes him money.
Though the Common Sense Club denied any ethical wrongdoing, claiming all payments were made before Spadea announced his gubernatorial bid, the friction with Trump remained.
Trump dissatisfaction and intra-party tension
The president was also reportedly displeased with Spadea’s past comments. Spadea previously referred to Trump as a “failed” president and backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican primary.
The Trump-Ciattarelli endorsement further complicates an already divided Republican field in New Jersey. While Ciattarelli seeks to consolidate establishment support, Spadea continues to appeal to grassroots conservatives, drawing on his media profile and direct voter engagement, dismissing the President’s endorsement completely.
Nader blamed Trump for creating a split within New Jersey’s self-proclaimed MAGA supporters.
“This one has not unified the movement, it has divided it,” Nader said in his criticism, reflecting frustration among some Spadea MAGA-aligned activists.
The internal discord raises questions about whether the GOP can build a cohesive campaign ahead of the general election in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since 2014.