Live Wednesday: A conversation with NJ's Republican candidates for governor
May 7, 2025, 6 a.m.
Polling suggests most voters don't know much about the three Republicans hoping to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy.
It's been more than 60 years since New Jersey voters sent the same party to the governor's office for three terms in a row. The three Republican candidates hoping to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy have to feel pretty good about that.
But before they can face off against the winner of the overcrowded Democratic primary, they'll need to face one another. On Wednesday evening, former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, former radio show host Bill Spadea and state Sen. Jon Bramnick will do so in a conversation with Michael Hill, host of WNYC's "Morning Edition;" and David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News senior political correspondent and host of "Chat Box" on NJ PBS.
A recent Rutgers-Eagleton poll found a lot of wiggle room in this primary, with no Republican candidate getting a favorable rating above 18% — but most voters saying they either have no opinion of each candidate, or don't yet know who they are.
Amid a looming NJ Transit strike, a housing crisis that advocates say leaves New Jersey short about 200,000 affordable homes, and the Trump administration's ever-shifting pronouncements on immigration enforcement and funding for local initiatives like schools and social programs, Hill and Cruz will zoom in on some of the most pressing issues for New Jersey voters.
A conversation with the Democratic candidates follows on Monday, May 12.
Hear the conversation with the Republican gubernatorial candidates: Tune in Wednesday at 7 p.m. on 93.9 FM or 820 AM, listen online at wnyc.org or the WNYC app, or watch on PBS in New Jersey. You can also watch the live video on Wednesday evening below: