TOMS RIVER, NJ — When the Toms River School District faced its first major funding cuts under Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea told the district and the students in the district to just suck it up.
Breaking News Update: Todd Frazier reached out to Shore News Network this weekend to let us know that Bill Spadea’s claim is false. The two have not reconciled.
When he learned the district was spending money to fix broken heating systems, Spadea told the children to, ‘just wear jackets inside the classroom.“
When he learned the district needed to remove cancer causing asbestos tiles, Spadea told the district to cut programs and fire teachers instead, to get the money for the asbestos removal.
A heated feud that erupted in 2019 between former NJ 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea and Toms River natives Todd Frazier and Frankie Edgar has reportedly come to an amicable end. The conflict, centered on a $147 million school maintenance referendum, saw Spadea clash publicly with the two sports stars, culminating in a symbolic “black eye” for the conservative commentator after the referendum passed overwhelmingly.
“Too bad @FlavaFraz21 let the education bureaucrats @NJEA use him this way. Stick to baseball Todd. We know the high taxes in Jersey won’t be hurting you,” Spadea said when Frazier stood up for his hometown school district.
They won’t be hurting Spadea either, who funneled $225,000 from his Common Sense Club charity into his own bank account.
A recent episode of the Champ and the Tramp podcast revealed that Spadea and Frazier have since reconciled, with Spadea claimedf, incorrectly that the former Major League Baseball player has forgiven him for the personal attacks made during the dispute.
The controversy began when Spadea used his morning drive-time show on NJ 101.5 to campaign against the Toms River Regional School District’s referendum, which aimed to fund critical repairs for leaking roofs, outdated wiring, and aging infrastructure across the district’s 18 schools. Spadea argued that the district should instead cut costs by firing teachers, slashing programs, and reducing administrative expenses, claiming the referendum would burden taxpayers.
He specifically targeted Superintendent David Healy’s salary and the district’s management, accusing them of mismanagement since a Democratic-led board took over following the 2010 arrest of former Superintendent Michael Ritacco on corruption charges.
Toms River natives Todd Frazier, a former New York Mets third baseman and Toms River High School South graduate, and Frankie Edgar, a former UFC lightweight champion and Toms River High School East alumnus, both publicly supported the referendum. Frazier, whose children attend Toms River schools, urged voters to approve the measure to address years of neglect, while Edgar backed him up on social media.
Frazier went as far as mocking Spadea’s 6am morning radio slot in response.
Spadea escalated the feud by attacking Frazier on Twitter, accusing the athlete of being a “multi-millionaire” dismissive of “NO” voters and shilling for the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). He also took a jab at Frazier’s 2018 Mets season performance, prompting a sharp response from Frazier, who called out Spadea’s Princeton residency and questioned his relevance.
Edgar joined the fray, defending Frazier and the referendum, leading to a Twitter battle that Spadea later admitted was a loss.
The referendum passed on January 22, 2019, with strong voter support, delivering a significant defeat to Spadea’s campaign. The New York Post published a photo of Spadea with a black eye, framing it as a metaphorical and literal representation of his public humiliation after being outmatched by Frazier and Edgar.
The image became a talking point, amplifying Spadea’s setback in the eyes of Toms River residents, who largely sided with their hometown heroes.
On the recent episode of the Champ and the Tramp podcast, hosted by Frankie Edgar and others, Spadea addressed the feud, revealing that he and Frazier have since made amends.
Spadea acknowledged the passion behind the debate, noting that Frazier’s commitment to his hometown’s schools was genuine, and expressed regret for the personal nature of his on-air and social media remarks.
The candidate for governor went as far as admitting he took the wrong side on the battle between Governor Phil Murphy and public education, saying, that he understood their problem with the funding cuts, but felt taking the cuts from the state would have been the way he would have handled the massive cuts, which were just the beginning of six years of consecutive cuts by the Murphy administration.
The podcast discussion marked the first public confirmation of their reconciliation, signaling an end to one of New Jersey’s more colorful political spats.
Frazier has not confirmed the reconciliation.
The feud’s resolution comes as Spadea, who left NJ 101.5 in January 2025 to focus on his gubernatorial campaign, seeks to reshape his public image. Critics, including rival candidate Jack Ciattarelli, have accused Spadea of leveraging his radio platform for political gain, a charge that echoed during the 2019 referendum battle when opponents claimed he used his show to bully the school board and local advocates.
For Edgar’s part, he said he was just backing up his buddy, Todd Frazier and now also appears to be supportive of Spadea.
Despite the controversy, Spadea’s supporters praise his willingness to take on entrenched interests, even if his tactics, as seen in the Toms River feud, sometimes backfired.
He chose Phil Murphy over the people of Toms River, and while the two sports stars might have forgiven him, the real test will be to see whether or not the voters of Toms River, whose district has been decimated by the Murphy administration are as willing to forgive and forget.
Frazier, now retired from baseball, and Edgar, a respected figure in mixed martial arts, remain beloved in Toms River for their advocacy during the referendum.
The district has since used the referendum funds to address critical infrastructure needs, validating the stance Frazier and Edgar took in 2019. As Spadea campaigns for governor, his reconciliation with Frazier may help mend ties with Toms River voters, though the black eye—both in the Post and in public memory—remains a vivid reminder of a feud that once divided the community.
