Trump backs Ciattarelli in NJ governor race as former Spadea colleague slams ex-cohost

TRENTON, N.J. — They say if you want to know a person, ask his co-workers about him.

New Jersey 101.5 radio Jeff Deminski publicly criticized his ex-colleague Bill Spadea on Monday following former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Jack Ciattarelli in the 2025 Republican gubernatorial primary.

“There’s a lot of teeth gnashing and angry spittle flying from a lot of alt-right conservatives in New Jersey today,” Deminski wrote in a column posted to New Jersey 101.5’s website. “Trump got it right.”

The endorsement, announced over the weekend, ended a months-long contest between Spadea, a conservative radio host and political commentator, and Ciattarelli, the former state assemblyman who ran against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. Trump’s support was seen as a major blow to Spadea’s campaign, which had heavily aligned itself with Trump’s political base.

Deminski, who previously shared the airwaves with Spadea at NJ 101.5, threw his full support behind Ciattarelli, citing his public service record and business experience.

“He has a solid track record of service at the local, county, and state levels,” Deminski wrote, listing Ciattarelli’s years on the Raritan Borough Council, the Somerset County Board of Freeholders, and in the New Jersey Assembly.

Praise for Ciattarelli’s integrity and electability

Deminski also highlighted Ciattarelli’s response during a 2021 GOP debate on abortion, recalling how Ciattarelli opposed forcing a woman to carry a pregnancy resulting from rape—a stance Deminski described as “character” and “integrity.”

The former co-host went further, stating that Ciattarelli is the Republican most likely to defeat a Democrat in the general election. “He came within inches of turning Murphy into a one-term governor last time,” Deminski wrote, pointing to Ciattarelli’s growing name recognition and Trump’s endorsement as factors boosting his chances.

The column marked a sharp personal and political rebuke of Spadea, who has positioned himself as the more conservative option in the primary and had courted Trump’s endorsement aggressively.

The New Jersey Republican primary is set for June 10.

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