He stepped down from his role as the morning host of one of Townsquare Media‘s top-billing radio stations to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of the State of New Jersey. Now, he’s poised to resume his radio program with no worries about “equal time,” as Bill Spadea has been defeated in the primary election.
And, it was a significant defeat for Spadea, as former New Jersey Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli secured the nomination for a second time by securing 67.8% of the vote.
To challenge Ciattarelli, Spadea gave up his on-air duties at WKXW-FM “New Jersey 101.5,” the Trenton-based News/Talk station that attracts listeners across the Garden State. It was a campaign that began under scrutiny, as the longtime media personality officially left the airwaves in late January 2025 to comply with FCC and state election guidelines after critics raised concerns that his continued presence on “New Jersey 101.5 “offered an unfair platform and potential campaign advantage. The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission found that while his on-air exposure did provide a political benefit, it declined to take immediate action, allowing his candidacy to move forward.
Spadea leaned into his populist messaging and aligned himself with President Trump, but struggled to consolidate enough support against Ciattarelli, who had already built name recognition from his 2021 gubernatorial run and secured Trump’s endorsement ahead of the 2025 primary.
As Ciattarelli prepares to face Democratic U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill in November, Spadea could still impact the election. After a bitter rivalry between the two GOP frontrunners, Spadea has yet to endorse – or reportedly even address – his former opponent, leading some to question whether a rift will hold some Republicans back from the voting booth in November.
