Spadea goes one-for-four in competitive GOP legislative primaries

In New Jersey’s four most competitive Republican legislative primaries this year, one man was a constant presence: Bill Spadea, a conservative talk radio host and prospective 2025 gubernatorial candidate. Spadea issued endorsements in all four primaries, campaigning with the candidates he described as New Jersey’s true conservative fighters and lambasting the state’s Republican establishment.

But with the dust now settled, Spadea’s track record isn’t looking great; only one of the four slates he endorsed won yesterday, while two others were defeated in a landslide.

The lone victory came in the 3rd legislative district, where State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan) faced a challenge from his former running mate, Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer (R-Woolwich). Spadea stumped hard for Durr and his running mates, Assemblywoman Bethanne McCarthy Patrick (R-Mannington) and Hopewell Township Committeeman Tom Tedesco, urging voters not to let “the elites” kick them out of office.

His endorsement proved to be a wise one. Durr has become something of a hero for New Jersey Republicans since he unseated former Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) in 2021, and Sawyer wasn’t able to overcome his conservative celebrity; she lost 65%-35%.

But in the neighboring 4th district, Spadea-endorsed Gloucester County Commissioner Nick DeSilvio (R-Franklin) and his ticket couldn’t match Durr’s success. Facing a serious geographic and spending disadvantage against former Washington Township Councilman Chris Del Borrello, DeSilvio lost by a punishing 61%-39% margin.

The same was true in the Morris County-based 26th district, where Spadea supported Morris County Commissioner Tom Mastrangelo (R-Montville) and his slate. While Mastrangelo looked like he would give State Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville) a real run for his money, Pennacchio ended up winning 60%-40%, and his Assembly running mates did even better.

(Spadea may have backed the wrong horse, but two strategists involved in his campaign, Bill Stepien and Tom Bonfonti, didn’t; their firm, National Public Affairs, worked with Pennacchio.)

Finally, Spadea’s candidates fell just short in the race for two Assembly seats in the 24th district, the closest legislative primary in the state. Lafayette Board of Education President Josh Aikens and Warren County Commissioner Jason Sarnoski (R-Independence) came within a couple percentage points of winning, but they still lost to Sussex County Commissioner Dawn Fantasia (R-Franklin) and Chester Township Mayor Mike Inganamort.

Spadea’s endorsement in the Toms River mayoral primary also fell flat; he joined with Ocean GOP chairman George Gilmore in backing Geri Ambrosio against incumbent Mayor Mo Hill, but instead a third candidate, Councilman Daniel Rodrick, won the primary in a landslide.

As Spadea’s 2025 gubernatorial campaign steadily kicks into gear, the primary results are not a positive development. By endorsing so many candidates in tough races, Spadea surely hoped to put allies in top offices across the state; instead, most of those potential allies lost, and now Spadea has rankled the incumbents and county parties he endorsed against.

Spadea’s probable 2025 opponent, 2021 gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli, took more of a backseat approach. While members of Ciattarelli’s orbit like consultant Chris Russell involved themselves in this year’s primaries, Ciattarelli officially remained neutral – or at least, so he claimed – which likely made him fewer friends and fewer enemies.