On a stage that often featured more discordance than substance, four frontrunners in the Republican race to become New Jersey’s next governor went head-to-head in their first debate on Tuesday night at Rider University.
And while there were some policy points scored amid some nasty political theater, the nearly 100-minutes of contentious discussion featured surprisingly little talk about affordability, regarded by many as New Jersey’s top issue.
The two leading candidates, former assemblyman and 2021 GOP nominee for governor Jack Ciattarelli and radio personality Bill Spadea, tried often to discredit each other’s support of President Donald Trump,
At the same time, Sen. Jon Bramnick (District 21) and former Sen. Ed Durr (District 3) proved to be a spirited undercard as they argued how their lanes on the political spectrum were the best path to the Statehouse.
Ciattarelli, for his part, said his experience running against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021, made him the best candidate in the field.
“In 2021, when I was out busting my ass up and down the state eight days a week in all districts, this guy (Bramnick) was entertaining Phil Murphy in his backyard with a barbecue and putting it on the Internet,” Ciattarelli said.
“This guy (Spadea) was on the radio every day saying he couldn’t pull the lever for Ciattarelli. And if you’re voting for Ciattarelli just because he’s better than Phil Murphy, don’t bother voting. We need someone who’s going to unify our party.”
Spadea, the conservative commentator who left his post as NJ101.5 morning host last week after a successful 10-year run, said he was running on a platform to better New Jersey damaged by “woke Democrats and weak Republicans.”
“I have been a US Marine,” Spadea said. “I’ve started businesses, and I’ve worked in the private sector for the past 20-plus years. And I have been an ardent, strong, and effective supporter of President Donald Trump since he came down the escalator in 2015.
“Now what we need, and what I have committed to, is to implement the America First agenda on Day One. Two problems in New Jersey: Woke Democrats who wrecked this state and weak Republicans who let it happen.”
Bramnick, easily the most moderate Republican of the four Republican leaders and the least supportive of Trump, said he offered the best opportunity to have a GOP candidate in the Statehouse, after two terms of Governor Murphy.
“These are very expensive times for our people,” Bramnick said. “But in order to change that, we have to win. What that means is you need Republican votes, Democratic votes, the moderate Democrats, and you also need independents.
“I have proven over the years that I can win as a Republican. I won as the Assembly Republican Leader unanimously for 10 years. I won a district that Kamala Harris won by 12 points, (President) Biden won by 17 points, and I won by seven points. So remember this: Nothing changes unless we win.”
Durr, a truck driver who shocked the New Jersey political world in 2021 by beating former Senate President Steve Sweeney as an unknown, and also, ironically, a former frequent caller into Spadea’s radio show, framed himself as the main political outsider in the race.
“The only way to fix New Jersey is by doing something different. Well, I’m different,” Durr said.
There was some near agreement as it related to fiscal issues. All four candidates were either critical of New Jersey’s school funding formula, or said it needed a complete overhaul.
And all four ranged between not being supportive of any more tax increases and critical of how money has been spent under Democratic rule in the Statehouse and in the Legislature the last eight years.
“We have a long history of both Republicans and Democrats not understanding how to effectively use tax cuts,” Spadea said. “Tax cuts should be used with a return on investment.
“Absolutely, our (Corporate Business Tax) should be much lower than our neighbors, and that’s how we attract businesses in. The problem is that the pundits and the Democrats and many of these weak Republicans look at it as static – that the minute I lower taxes, I lose that revenue. No. We should look at it as an incentive to create jobs, create businesses, and bring them in.”
“How is it Pennsylvania can lower its business tax from 10% to 5%?” Ciattarelli asked. “Ours increased as of last July first from 9% to 11.5%, the highest in the nation. How is it that Pennsylvania can have a 3% flat tax for all individuals, and yet we’ve got eight brackets that go up to 11%, the second highest in the nation?
“If Pennsylvania can (lower business taxes), we can do it.”
“I would raise taxes on the Democratic Legislature if they raise taxes,” Bramnick said to laughs in the crowd. “And, you know, there was an old comedian who used to say we’ll give you a break if you give the consumers a break. And the Democrats have never seen a tax they don’t love.”
“(Bramnick) might have an idea there since they gave themselves a raise in the Legislature,” Durr countered. “So maybe giving them an extra tax wouldn’t hurt.
“But, no, I don’t think that we need to tax more. We need to spend better. That’s the problem. We don’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.”
NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka, who attended the debate on Tuesday, said she: “greatly appreciated the opportunity to hear from the gubernatorial candidates and their respective visions for New Jersey.
“We look forward to continuing to work with all the candidates on both sides of the aisle on issues affecting affordability and regional competitiveness as their campaigns continue toward primary day and beyond.”
On New Jersey’s Laura Jones moderated the debate. Panelists included David Wildstein and Joey Fox of New Jersey Globe, Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute at Rider University, and Matt Rooney, the editor of Save Jersey.
On Sunday, Rider University also hosted the Democratic gubernatorial debate, coverage which can be found here.
ONNJ’s video coverage of the Republican debate can be found here.
