Spadea Scars: Post-Primary Headaches Continue for NJ GOP

TRENTON, NJ – “The primary is now behind us. Let us unite.” So said Jack Ciattarelli, optimistically, at his primary watch party.

Good luck with that. Here’s where New Jersey Republicans stand, two days after the primary was called:

• Can’t unite the party when you can’t even stomach getting on the phone… Politico’s Matt Friedman reports that Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea still “haven't spoken post-results. It was a nasty primary.”

• REMEMBER: Bill Spadea, multiple times, refused to say he’d support the eventual nominee.

• Would Jack, Spotlight's David Cruz asked? “Absolutely, the goal is to win.”

• But would Spadea? “That’s a better question for Jack… that’s my answer.”

Will the more than 1 in 5 NJ GOP primary voters who pulled the lever for Spadea follow their candidate’s lead, and not back Jack? One reason they might not (in Spadea’s words):

“This guy [Ciattarelli] will check any box, to get any vote, in any room. He has no principles – or any core.” 

When he’s right, he’s right.