Yesterday we looked at Fairleigh Dickinson’s poll that ranked Democratic gubernatorial candidates on how they are perceived by voters, as well as taking a deeper dive into candidate Sean Spiller’s poor showing. This morning FDU released its poll on the four Republican candidates for governor. The results show second-time candidate Jack Ciattarelli “well ahead” of his opponents (Bill Spadea,  John Bramnick, and Ed Durr) but his lead is “tenuous,  especially among the MAGA voters making up an increasing share of the Party,” who may prefer Spadea.

In other words, if you don’t have MAGA in your corner it is going to be tough to win a New Jersey Republican primary. “Young Republicans in the state just don’t look like older ones: they’re much more likely to be MAGA voters and even describe themselves as libertarian or nationalist,” said Dan Cassino, a Professor of Government and Politics at FDU and the executive director of the Poll. “If they turn out in large numbers, this is a very different race than one that’s dominated by older voters.”

The poll shows that former State Representative Cittarelli’s name is recognized by 78% of those polled and 38% regard him favorably. Spadea’s name recognition is about 58% but, like the rest of the candidates, his approval rating is low, about 22%. 

Where do the GOP candidates stand on education? 

In some cases it is hard to tell. Former State Senator Durr doesn’t mention education on his website, although it includes an adjacent issue, property taxes, which largely fund suburban school districts. 

While talk show host Spadea’s website doesn’t mention education either, he has voiced his fondness for micro-schools, homeschooling, and teaching students about “the greatness of America.” He wants to “limit the power of the NJEA by stopping the funding to the pension plan until they accept massive and dramatic changes” including replacing the pension plan with a defined contribution plan. Also, he wants to “overhaul” the state Department of Education and fire staff “for their actions leading to the sexualized curriculum which should be thrown out straight away.”

Bramnick and Ciattarelli are the only candidates to mention education on their election websites. Bramnick, more moderate than his opponents, wants to “expand charter schools in failing school districts,” implement “robust school choice” that allows parents to “decide where to educate their children,” and “fully fund our public schools to  not break the bank of property taxpayers while providing quality education for all students.”

Ciattarelli has the most complete education platform among the four candidates. He supports charter school expansions; less restrictive rules governing the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program (which allows out-of-district students to fill seats in nearby schools with vacancies) and make it more like Florida’s popular voucher program; a flattening of the state school funding formula so there is less variation among districts; and a “Parents’ Bill of Rights  that provides transparency to parents by requiring K-12 curriculum sources to be posted online.”

He also takes hits at NJEA, especially its determination to maintain defined benefit pension plans that, he says, take choices away from teachers. 

Cittarelli may be looking to the general election when he says,

“Jack will no longer allow the tail to wag the dog as it relates to the NJEA union bosses. No more will they be allowed to bully their own members into a system that siphons dues money from teachers into the coffers of a hyperpartisan political operation, which turns around and spends tens of millions of dollars pushing candidates and issues that a vast number of teachers don’t agree with.”