Spadea says he actually hasn’t ruled out potential second term, report says

Former radio host Bill Spadea told Politico he hasn’t ruled out a two-term governorship days after saying he would “commit” to “serve one term as your governor.”

Spadea, a conservative running for the GOP nomination for governor, made the initial remarks earlier this week during the first debate between Republican candidates.

“I’m going to commit to you tonight to serve one term as your governor, because we have to separate the politics of reelection from the job of governing,” Spadea said during the debate. “And when you look at what has to happen in this state, a lot of unpopular political decisions will be made.”

But Spadea told Politico on Friday that he hasn’t ruled out seeking a second term if elected this year.

“I’m going to commit to serving one term. And … if the people of New Jersey say, ‘Wow, that was great,’ well then we can have a discussion about the possibility of another term,” Spadea told Politico. “But not until then.”

Politico reported that Spadea made remarks similar to his debate commitment during the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s Walk to Washington event. Politico reported he said, “If you need more than one term, then you’ve got the wrong plan.”

Spadea would have been the first governor to promise not to run for re-election since the state adopted its current constitution in 1947.