MORRIS COUNTY — Bill Spadea, a well-known radio host, has announced his candidacy for Governor of New Jersey. Spadea announced on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I’m in. I’m running for governor to fight for you,” and emphasized his readiness to lead with “Strength, conviction, and courage to restore common sense to our great state.”
A native of New Jersey residing in Princeton, Spadea has been the morning drive show host on 101.5 FM for the past nine years. His entry into the gubernatorial race adds a prominent conservative voice to the political landscape of New Jersey.
Bill Spadea’s gubernatorial announcement highlights the issues New Jersey residents frequently discuss on his talk show. Spadea criticizes Trenton politicians for policies he claims benefit illegal immigrants at the expense of taxpayers. He promises to make tough budget cuts, reform school funding to reduce property taxes for suburban parents and ensure education focuses on academics rather than indoctrination.
Spadea also vows to prevent President Joe Biden from using New Jersey to house illegal immigrants and to end the associated benefits provided by current Governor Phil Murphy and other politicians he deems ineffective.
Spadea joins the Republican primary field, including State Senator Jon Bramnick, former gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, and State Senator Ed Durr, who gained prominence by defeating former State Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021.
Murphy is term-limited, and four Democrats have already entered the race to succeed him: Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, the president of the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest public employee union.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff), Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, former Deputy U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jim Johnson, and others could join the race.
Spadea positions himself as an outsider, claiming that the insider establishment powerbrokers dislike him because they cannot control him.
On the Republican side, Bill Spadea joins an already competitive race. State Senator Jon Bramnick announced his candidacy in January, followed by Jack Ciattarelli, who made his second gubernatorial run official in April. Ed Durr, notable for his 2021 victory over former State Senate President Steve Sweeney, has also declared his intention to run for governor.
Across the aisle, the Democratic field is equally crowded. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced his campaign in April, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka declared his candidacy in February, and Steve Sweeney entered the race in December. Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller joined the race in June.
In his campaign announcement, Spadea emphasizes his outsider status, stating, “The insider establishment powerbrokers, well, they don’t like me. Why? Because I’m an outsider, they can’t control.”
Recently, Spadea hosted a panel discussion titled “Crucial Issues Shaping Our Community” featuring Parsippany’s Mayor Jamie Barberio. The panel also included Hanover Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher, East Hanover Mayor Joseph Pannullo, Mount Arlington Mayor Mike Stanzilis, and Florham Park Mayor Mark Taylor.
Before getting into media, Spadea served as an executive in the real estate industry for 18 years, coaching, recruiting, and selling. He is currently a licensed broker in several states, including New Jersey, Washington, and Massachusetts, working with a national real estate company. Following the show on FoxTV, Spadea launched and continues to manage the budget and production for a film company that sold its latest movie, “Psycho Storm Chaser,” to LifetimeTV.
