Matthew Frankel has lived in Montclair with his family for over 20 years. He runs the strategic communications and engagement firm, MDF Strategies, where he has led advocacy initiatives for a variety of corporate and non-profit clients, with a specific focus on education reform and voting rights. 

Four weeks ago, when Sean Spiller announced he would now run for President of the National Education Association (NEA), I received a flurry of phone calls from advocates, elected officials, and voters stretching from Montclair to Trenton, celebrating that the former Mayor of Montclair and former NJEA President could finally be leaving New Jersey.  Having seen this movie before, I remained skeptical and warned against getting too excited.  I predict Spiller will lose his bid to run the NEA for a straightforward reason: Imagine what an NEA teacher will think after they Google “Sean Spiller” and review his record.  As New Jersey already proved, Spiller, the Manchurian Candidate of New Jersey, is as appealing as Donald Trump.  Alas, Sean Spiller is not going anywhere.

Spiller’s series of missteps as NJEA President, Mayor of Montclair, and a 2025 Democratic primary candidate for Governor, have all been well documented over the last few years, culminating this Spring when he, NJEA current President Steve Beatty, and other NJEA executives spent what now adds up to about $45 million in teachers’ dues to fund his disastrous campaign for Governor.

The actions of Spiller, Beatty, and the other NJEA executives to move these astronomical amounts of union dues were unprecedented in American politics.  Most revolting was that NJ public school teachers — who work so hard to serve our kids, fight to make ends meet each month,  and already pay the NJEA the highest union dues in the United States – were given no voice on whether their dues should support Spiller’s primary campaign.  In the end, New Jersey teachers unknowingly funded over 99% of his personal campaign for office.  

Aside from the tens of millions in NJEA union member money, Spiller raised only $438,817 on his own, making him the only major candidate running in this year’s primary who was unable to receive matching funds or meet the requirements to participate in primary debates. Ultimately, Spiller finished a distant fifth out of six in the June Democratic primary, with a mere 10.7% of the vote, costing New Jersey teachers $533 per vote. 

Based on his sad Democratic primary results, most New Jersey public school teachers did not support Spiller.  Despite being inundated with pro-Spiller communications, even turning NJEA’s own glossy magazine into a Spiller propaganda platform, only 44 active teachers (0.03% of NJEA teachers) voluntarily contributed $200 or more to his campaign.

The whole situation has been a public relations nightmare for Spiller and the NJEA.  Since the Democratic primary concluded, teachers have filed a lawsuit against the NJEA, a separate formal complaint has been filed with state and federal regulators, and a petition calling for greater transparency and an apology has been signed by over 2,000 New Jersey teachers.  

No one in politics is perfect. All of us have likely taken a passionate stance on an issue we later question.  Political campaigns and elected officials make decisions they later come to regret.  The freedom we have to make these mistakes, and ultimately learn from them, is a valuable tenet of our democracy.  However, there also comes a point at which a variety of errors defines a pattern of behavior, and it is clear Spiller has learned nothing. While in the past some might have given Spiller a pass, likely because of the sheer power of the NJEA, let’s not forget what his actions did to the Democratic Party this year.

Spiller’s run for Governor not only cost New Jersey teachers but also cost the Democratic Party.  Last spring was not a normal primary campaign. Spiller spent an absolutely ridiculous amount on trying to get the vote out. Millions and millions were spent on Spiller television ads, expensive highway billboards, and mass mailers.  He created foolish and false narratives that diminished the hard work of other Democratic primary campaigns.  Most of all, Spiller’s tactics and spending forced the other Democratic campaigns to spend far more than they had budgeted for the primary, weakening the eventual nominee’s chances at the start of the general election. 

Immediately after losing the primary,  Spiller plotted for redemption.  As a supporter of our Governor-elect, I cringed when I read that he took a seat in the reserved section during President Obama’s rally in Newark right before November’s election.  The last person the Democratic Party needed in those closing hours of a campaign was Sean Spiller popping up — and as we look to the future, the Party should do all it can to keep him away.

Mikie Sherrill’s decisive victory in November’s general election, the progress new leaders like Senator Andy Kim have made in modernizing the Party in the Garden State, Senator Cory Booker’s courageous stand on the floor of the Senate, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s leadership in addressing the crime rate in Newark should make us all proud and optimistic for the future. However, Sean Spiller’s brand of politics in no way represents this new Democratic Party.  Rather, Spiller emulates a world of old Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, the kind of patronage politics Democrats have long fought against and continue to seek to reform.  Spiller’s bizarre actions as a candidate, his continued self-interest, and the many, many missteps that follow him everywhere do not represent the Democratic Party I love, nor what the Party should aspire to embody within the Garden State.  

Based on the number of phone calls, emails, and texts I received during the primary from Democrat operatives, elected officials, and even members of Governor Murphy’s own administration, I know I am not the only one who feels this way.  While I respect others’ decision to remain anonymous, I have no issue being the first to say it – Sean Spiller has no place in our state’s Democratic Party.  

Sure, we may share positions with Spiller on a woman’s right to choose, an increase in the minimum wage, the threat of climate change, and taking a strong stance against the undemocratic policies of Donald Trump. But leadership is more than being right on the issues.  We’re supposed to be the party of accountability and working people—and when we ignore self-dealing in our own ranks, we lose the moral authority to demand it of others.  The actions by Spiller have been neither pro-union, nor pro-teacher, nor are they representative of the values of the Democratic party – it’s that simple.  

Thankfully, we have elected the right leaders to move our Party forward and, as we look to the future, his absence will only benefit the state. 

While being elected as NEA President may help New Jersey rid itself of Spiller, I would not wish that on any teacher, and I just don’t think it will happen.  

For the future interest of New Jersey, for electing public officials we can be proud of, for the tens of thousands of teachers he swiped millions from, and for the many in Montclair who have seen firsthand how he acts as an elected official and would never consider voting for him again, it’s time for Spiller to go away.  If he does not, I hope New Jersey’s state Party leaders take a stand.  The last thing Democrats need is Sean Spiller involved in any aspect of our politics.