Culture war and cost of living: NJ GOP debate gives voters some clear divides

Three leading Republican candidates for governor sparred with each other and their hosts on Wednesday night during an NJ PBS debate billed as a “conversation.”

Former assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who lost to Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago, radio and TV personality Bill Spadea and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, answered more than a dozen questions from topics ranging from immigration to DEI. That is, when they weren’t shouting over each other during the jam-packed hour-long program hosted by David Cruz and Michael Hill.

Absent from the panel were Justin Barbera and Mario Kranjac. The Democratic candidates will have their turn on Monday and again on May 18. The GOP candidates will have another debate on May 20.

The primaries are June 10.

While President Donald Trump has not endorsed any candidate in the race, all three candidates said they would accept his endorsement, including Bramnick, who's carved out a lane by being the only contender willing to distance himself from Trump on some issues.

Here are the highlights from the program.

How to make New Jersey more affordable?

Spadea said he would use emergency executive orders to affect numerous policies, including changing the school funding formula to expand school choice; ending “sanctuary state” policies to allow local police and the National Guard to assist federal immigration enforcement; and renegotiate pension agreements to limit benefits for new hires with the exception of the police and firefighters system.

Bramnick said millions could be freed up if lawmakers gave up the system of awarding pork-barrel funding.

Ciattarelli said the government needs to become a “more lean, mean, fighting machine.” He would do this by consolidating the existing New Jersey State Commission of Investigation and the Comptroller’s Office into an entity that would root out wasteful spending. He would also change the school funding formula and tackle rising utility rates.

On affordable housing

All three candidates oppose existing affordable housing mandates that are unpopular with suburban municipalities, many of which have tried to fight the rules in court.

Brannick said affordable housing planning should be done on a regional, rather than municipal basis, to take into account matters of infrastructure and public education needs.

Spadea, calling the current system that evolved from the state Supreme Court’s 1975 Mount Laurel decision, “an unmitigated disaster,” said he would use executive orders to reclassify what the law considers a housing unit.

Ciattarelli said overdevelopment in the suburbs could be stopped by flipping the balance of power in the Legislature, which has been under Democratic control since 2001, and by adding conservatives to the state Supreme Court.

On energy costs

Spadea and Ciattarelli supported President Trump’s action halting offshore wind energy development. Ciattarelli would end the electric vehicle mandate and expand nuclear energy, while Spadea said he would expand the use of natural gas generating plants and pack the Board of Public Utilities with appointees who would keep rates affordable.

NJ Transit strike and Newark Airport problems

The three candidates said the state would need federal support to address transportation problems.

Ciattarelli faulted the state’s congressional delegation for being “silent” during these crises. Ciattarelli said the state would benefit by consolidating the independent authorities that now separately manage NJ Transit and the toll roads under a single appointee.

Spadea said air traffic controllers should be allowed to work 12-hour shifts and the state should promote the development of existing airports in Monmouth, Mercer and Atlantic counties.

On federal funding cuts

Bramnick said the federal government should hold hearings and speak to affected constituents before implementing drastic cuts. If federal cuts go through, Bramnick said the state would have to dip into its budget surplus.

Ciattarelli and Spadea said eliminating wasteful spending would protect important programs like Medicaid and Medicare, with Spadea adding that a crackdown on illegal immigration would also reduce the cost of government.

On health care costs

Bramnick called the healthcare insurance system “a complete disaster” and the stress it causes sick people “a complete nightmare.” He suggested the insurance industry spends too much money on advertising.

Spadea and Ciattarelli believe the state could do more to encourage competition.

Spadea said premiums would be lowered by eliminating mandates that require “a healthy 26-year-old” to have coverage for abortions or gender-affirming care.

Ciattarelli said small employers should be empowered to aggregate insurance purchasing and that taxpayers should be allowed to write off all health and insurance costs.

On immigration and due process

Spadea dismissed concerns about due process when it comes to immigration enforcement and deportations, saying the country is in “a state of war" and under “invasion.”

Bramnick pushed back, saying “everyone deserves a hearing” to make sure “you got the right guy.”

“You’re telling me that just because the government says that’s a bad guy, all of a sudden you trust the government?” Bramnick said in an exchange with Spadea.

Ciattarreli sidestepped a question about the potential economic impact to the state should 200,000 to 900,000 residents be deported, calling that a “hypothetical” and suggesting it would be unlikely that the federal government would deport all people who are illegally in the country.

On school curriculum

Ciattarelli said that “we don’t need an LGBTQ curriculum,” just “respect and tolerance.”
Bramnick said subject matters in school should be age-appropriate and that parents, through school boards, should determine what kinds of books should be allowed in libraries. Spadea decried “pronouns and propaganda” and the “gender cult,” saying he would pack the state Board of Education with parental rights and school choice champions.

On abortion

Spadea said he would use the line-item veto to eliminate public funding for Planned Parenthood and would support pregnancy centers to "give women a choice."

Ciattarelli said he supports limiting abortion after 40 weeks.

Bramnick called himself "pro-choice."

On Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs

Spadea explained his stance on eliminating DEI by saying that "we’re not going to make procurement decisions or hiring decisions based on skin color."

While Ciattarelli said that his "job as governor is to provide equal opportunity, not equal outcomes," he said there was room for set-asides that give businesses in minority communities and military veterans "a fair shot at state contracts."

Bramnick cautioned fellow Republicans when it comes to cultural "sound-bite warrior stuff."

“If you guys don’t show a heart and show some warmth to other human beings, and run just a cold, calculated sound-bite campaign, we’re going to lose again," he said. "You can be strong on policy, but you also have to be empathetic to others.”

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