LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. — “I’m an outsider they can’t control.” That’s how Bill Spadea, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, described himself as he announced his intention to run for Governor of the State of New Jersey.
Spadea is the 6am-10am host of the morning show on WKWX “New Jersey 101.5,” the Townsquare Media spoken word giant serving the Trenton; Middlesex-Somerset-Union; and Morristown markets in addition to the Camden/Cherry Hill/Marlton suburban areas of greater Philadelphia.
News that Spadea would seek the Republican nomination for Governor of the Garden State became known at the close of his Monday program. If successful, Spadea would succeed Phil Murphy, who is in his final term as Governor and is prohibited from seeking re-election due to term limits.
In addition to his role at WKXW, Spadea served as the anchor of “Chasing News,” a program that aired on Fox Television Stations-owned WNYW-5 in New York and WTXF-29 in Philadelphia.
Prior to broadcast media, Spadea was a real estate executive for 18 years.
That said, he’s no stranger to politics: Spadea previously attempted to defeat a three-term Democratic House incumbent in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. His campaign ranked 17th out of 157 GOP challengers nationwide by earning 40 percent of the vote with more than 115,000 votes, his bio on the WKXW website reads, putting a positive spin on an unsuccessful campaign. Following the race, Spadea served as a surrogate speaker in New Jersey for Republican candidates for Governor and U.S. Senate, and for former City of New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008.
Spadea received an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps Reserves after serving eight years. Recently, he founded the “Common Sense Club,” a group advocating for policies supporting small businesses and families, and is the honorary chairman of the rapidly growing conservative PAC, “Elect Common Sense.”
Will Spadea have to relinquish his on-air duties? Not yet. As he has not filed paperwork that signals he is formally seeking the role of New Jersey Governor, he’s not a legally qualified candidate. As such, Spadea can continue doing what he is doing and not run afoul of any equal time rules. A Townsquare Media spokesperson tells RBR+TVBR that the filing deadline for Spadea is in April 2025.
