TRENTON, N.J. — Conservative radio host and gubernatorial hopeful Bill Spadea slammed former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of his opponent Jack Ciattarelli, calling it the latest in a string of misjudged political moves in New Jersey.
Spadea noted that Trump has endorsed multiple election losers in New Jersey and says his endorsement of Ciattarelli would be another loss for the President.
“Remember, in the last year, not one, but two New Jersey candidates failed to capitalize on an endorsement from President Trump and lost big,” Spadea said. “Given Jack’s history as a repeat loser, I believe it will be three losses in a row.”
Spadea cited Christine Serrano Glassner’s recent defeat in the GOP Senate primary and Don Purdy’s failed attempt to unseat RNC Committeeman Bill Palatucci.
The endorsement of Ciattarelli, who lost the 2021 gubernatorial race to Democrat Phil Murphy, has ignited backlash from several pro-Spadea insiders.
Spadea has positioned himself as a conservative alternative with stronger ties to the grassroots base, but Trump saw something he didn’t like in Spadea’s campaign.
His arrogance. We reported weeks ago that Trump and his inner circle were also upset with Spadea’s use of his name and Melania’s name to raise small dollar monthly donations nationwide.
Reports from Trump family insiders said the president’s inner circle were not happy to learn that Spadea’s organization had paid his own LLC hundreds of thousands of dollars.
George Nader, a longtime ally of Spadea whose wife runs the Common Sense Club — a political nonprofit that paid $250,000 to an LLC in Spadea’s name — called the endorsement a betrayal of core Trump values.
“The decision feels like a bewildering contradiction of everything the America First agenda stands for,” Nader said, protesting the President’s endorsement.
Nader echoed Spadea’s claim that Trump has endorsed losers in New Jersey elections.
“President Trump’s endorsement isn’t always a golden ticket,” he said, pointing to prior losses by endorsed candidates and asserting Spadea had a better connection with local voters.
Tensions rise in GOP ranks after Trump endorsement
Mike Crispi, a pro-Trump commentator and America First New Jersey figure, defended the endorsement of Ciattarelli and accused Spadea of misleading voters.
“His own arrogance killed him,” Crispi said. “Trump realized that Spadea’s campaign was a grift and that Spadea had falsely used ‘Trump-like endorsements’ in his mailers after being told personally by Trump not to use a photo with himself and the president for his political campaign.”
Ciattarelli thanked Trump for his endorsement.
“Truly humbled and honored to receive President Donald J. Trump’s very strong endorsement today. It’s time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again. When I’m Governor, we will,” Ciattarelli said.
“Spadea learned the hard way,” Crispi said. “He waffled on January 6th, waffled on guns, waffled on abortion, that’s Spadea…he called on the President to resign after January 6th, he supported Ron DeSantis and called Trump a failed president.”
Crispi said over the past year, Ciattarelli had come to terms with the President and openly spoke about his past criticisms, just like J.D. Vance and others had come to terms with Trump, but Spadea continued to stand by his comments.
“Again, it was his own arrogance,” Crispi said.
Spadea made it clear, he’s not suspending his campaign in light of Trump’s endorsement of his opponent and will now continue his fight against Trump’s endorsed candidate.
“President Trump said it best – Jack is the best candidate to ‘STAND TALL against the Radical Left Democrats’ and ‘ensure a Big victory,’” Carlos Cruz, a spokesman for the pro-Ciattarelli super PAC Kitchen Table Conservatives. “We call on Spadea to do the right thing tonight – endorse Jack, drop out of the race, and return the millions in taxpayer provided matching funds propping up his failed campaign.”
Scott Pressler, who has been helping Republicans register voters statewide says his organization will remained focused to their mission and remain neutral until June 11th, the day after the primary election.
“I believe in being a man of my word, and I said at the beginning of this year, I was going to remain neutral and impartial, and despite my extreme respect for the president, I’m going to stay out of it,” Pressler said. “New Early Vote Action is going to remain neutral to get out the voters on June 10th and be uniters for whoever that candidate is in November. We will come out with full support behind that person knocking on doors and getting out the vote.”
Spadea and his campaign have attacked Pressler after refusing to pick a side with several Spadea insiders launching hateful attacks against Pressler on social media.
After the endorsement, Spadea supporters took to social media to bash Trump’s endorsed candidate, saying they will help the former radio host win, and defeat Trump on June 10th.
