TRENTON, N.J. — Bill Spadea has not conceded his defeat in the Republican primary for New Jersey governor, days after losing to Jack Ciattarelli in a landslide on Election Day.
Despite the clear margin, Spadea has neither called Ciattarelli to congratulate him nor indicated whether he will support the Republican nominee in the general election this November. Spadea instead took to social media to declare that he is “ready to continue our fight for ALL the people,” in a post Monday that referenced “back room elites in both parties.”
“Happy to disappoint the haters, but we aren’t going ANYWHERE,” Spadea wrote Sunday in another post, adding, “ignore all the misinformation and nastiness coming from the other side.”
The former radio host was criticized throughout the campaign for several controversies, including his public attacks on President Donald Trump following Trump’s endorsement of Ciattarelli.
Spadea’s campaign also faced scrutiny over $266,000 in payments made from campaign contributions to his personal LLC, including a final $16,000 check just hours before polls closed.
In addition, Spadea drew fire for his ties to George Gilmore, a South Jersey political consultant and convicted tax felon. Gilmore is affiliated with a lobbying firm linked to members of the influential Norcross political network.
Campaign silence and future plans
So far, Spadea has made no public comments about the election results aside from social media posts. He has not announced any plans to formally contest the results or pursue a third-party run. “Announcements on future plans coming soon,” he posted Sunday, without offering specifics.
Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman and the GOP’s 2021 nominee, declared victory shortly after polls closed and has begun shifting focus toward his new opponent, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.
Spadea’s silence has drawn attention among state Republicans, some of whom have called for party unity ahead of the November election.
The Republican primary saw higher-than-expected turnout, with Ciattarelli winning every county and securing more than 60 percent of the vote, according to unofficial totals from the New Jersey Division of Elections.
Spadea has remained active on social media, posting frequent updates and criticizing party leaders.
