A GOP Governor Candidate Against Trump Aims to Overcome Odds in New Jersey Primary
Jon Bramnick is positioning himself firmly to the right on immigration as he competes for the GOP nomination against his rivals.
TroibNews 
In the Republican primary for governor, where loyalty to President Donald Trump reigns, a moderate underdog is attempting to offset his anti-Trump stance by adopting a tougher position on immigration than his rivals.
Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator and a veteran of Trenton politics, maintains close ties to former Gov. Chris Christie, who is viewed unfavorably by Trump supporters. Despite this, Bramnick is taking an innovative approach by embracing a facet of Trumpism that holds significant appeal in New Jersey. While he asserts that his longstanding criticism of the former president will aid him in a general election, Bramnick has crafted an immigration platform even more conservative than those of his prominent pro-Trump opponents, Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea.
“The media always wants to say ‘spoiler,’ ‘moderate’ or ‘never Trump.’ How about just saying, ‘Hey, listen, here’s how the guy did over the last 25 years and evaluate it,’” stated Bramnick, a resident of Union County, in a telephone interview. “I just don’t think you should come to conclusions until we get a lot closer to June 10. Just watch how things evolve.”
Bramnick is highlighting a hard-line approach to immigration and is actively advocating for measures in the Statehouse to enhance penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes. This stance could make him attractive to the conservative factions of the party, especially as recent public polls indicate a shift towards more conservative views on immigration among New Jersey voters since 2022.
Though Bramnick is not seen as a frontrunner and remains largely considered a longshot for the nomination, his campaign has demonstrated surprising resilience, catching some Republicans off guard. He has a proven track record of winning elections even in a Democratic-leaning environment, as evidenced by his seven-point victory in his district in 2023—whereby Kamala Harris won by twelve points in 2024.
Trump’s unexpectedly strong performance in New Jersey last November, where he lost by a mere six points, has raised Republican hopes of transforming the formerly solid blue state into a competitive landscape. However, recent polls indicate that Trump’s popularity in the state has waned. This upcoming election cycle will test whether Trump’s performance will have any impact on his party's candidates. Bramnick is banking on the idea that it will not.
While opposing Trump, Bramnick aims to resonate with the president's supporters through his campaign materials and advertisements.
One campaign flyer labels Bramnick “the only candidate for governor with a conservative record on immigration,” challenging Ciattarelli and Spadea on their positions—citing Spadea's endorsement of amnesty for undocumented immigrants and Ciattarelli's support for allowing them access to driver’s licenses. The flyer emphasizes Bramnick’s votes against New Jersey’s 2019 legislation permitting undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, along with a 2013 law that offered in-state college tuition to undocumented students who attended high school in the state. A related TV ad claims he is “the toughest candidate on immigration” and a “tested conservative who can win.”
Recently, Bramnick introduced the “New Jersey Laken Riley Act” (NJ S4302), proposing that undocumented immigrants charged with any indictable offense be detained and that local law enforcement collaborate with federal immigration authorities.
Despite years in politics—dating back to his role as a Plainfield councilmember in the 1980s and his entry into the Legislature as an Assemblymember in 2003—Bramnick struggles with name recognition. A March 6 poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found he was recognized by only 43 percent of Republicans, in contrast to Ciattarelli’s 78 percent and Spadea’s 54 percent.
Amid a barrage of negative ads between Spadea and Ciattarelli, Bramnick has remained largely unchallenged, including regarding his association with Christie—a political ally he supported during Christie’s presidential bid against Trump.
In response to remarks about him from Ciattarelli's strategist Chris Russell, the latter stated Bramnick is “barely a Republican” and criticized him for hosting Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy at his home in 2021 while Ciattarelli was competing for the Republican nomination against Murphy, whom he would later lose to by a narrow margin.
“He cannot credibly run to the right of anyone on any issue,” Russell argued. “When Phil Murphy raised our taxes, exploded our budget, killed seniors in nursing homes and made us a sanctuary state, Jon Bramnick had him over for hot dogs and hamburgers.”
During a February debate, Bramnick drew boos from the audience when he openly criticized Trump’s pardon of violent January 6 rioters, stating, “Let me make this clear: Either we’re the party of law and order or we’re not. You can clap, you can boo if you want, but I will stand with police officers every time.”
In contrast, Ciattarelli and Spadea have consistently praised Trump, eagerly seeking his endorsement. Recently, Ciattarelli met with Trump at his Bedminster golf club, shortly before Spadea had a brief encounter with the president as well.
“Jon’s not pretending, and I think that’s resonating with people as he goes around the state,” said Mike DuHaime, a consultant and friend of Bramnick. “He’s not going to back away from who his friends are, who he’s worked with in the past.”
Although Bramnick's fundraising efforts have not been exceptional, they have been sufficient to maintain his candidacy. He has raised enough funds to qualify for matching assistance from the state, accumulating nearly $2.8 million so far.
Dan Cassino, director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, mentioned Bramnick is attempting to navigate his anti-Trump position while attracting Trump’s voters. Instead of openly supporting Trump like other candidates, Cassino noted that Bramnick is “trying to reframe” the debate.
“Instead of being who’s the most pro-Trump candidate, let’s talk about an issue: Who’s the most anti-undocumented immigrant candidate,” Cassino stated. “I think it’s a perfectly reasonable strategy. The question is whether the other candidates will actually get drawn into the debate without just talking about Trump.”
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator and a veteran of Trenton politics, maintains close ties to former Gov. Chris Christie, who is viewed unfavorably by Trump supporters. Despite this, Bramnick is taking an innovative approach by embracing a facet of Trumpism that holds significant appeal in New Jersey. While he asserts that his longstanding criticism of the former president will aid him in a general election, Bramnick has crafted an immigration platform even more conservative than those of his prominent pro-Trump opponents, Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea.
“The media always wants to say ‘spoiler,’ ‘moderate’ or ‘never Trump.’ How about just saying, ‘Hey, listen, here’s how the guy did over the last 25 years and evaluate it,’” stated Bramnick, a resident of Union County, in a telephone interview. “I just don’t think you should come to conclusions until we get a lot closer to June 10. Just watch how things evolve.”
Bramnick is highlighting a hard-line approach to immigration and is actively advocating for measures in the Statehouse to enhance penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes. This stance could make him attractive to the conservative factions of the party, especially as recent public polls indicate a shift towards more conservative views on immigration among New Jersey voters since 2022.
Though Bramnick is not seen as a frontrunner and remains largely considered a longshot for the nomination, his campaign has demonstrated surprising resilience, catching some Republicans off guard. He has a proven track record of winning elections even in a Democratic-leaning environment, as evidenced by his seven-point victory in his district in 2023—whereby Kamala Harris won by twelve points in 2024.
Trump’s unexpectedly strong performance in New Jersey last November, where he lost by a mere six points, has raised Republican hopes of transforming the formerly solid blue state into a competitive landscape. However, recent polls indicate that Trump’s popularity in the state has waned. This upcoming election cycle will test whether Trump’s performance will have any impact on his party's candidates. Bramnick is banking on the idea that it will not.
While opposing Trump, Bramnick aims to resonate with the president's supporters through his campaign materials and advertisements.
One campaign flyer labels Bramnick “the only candidate for governor with a conservative record on immigration,” challenging Ciattarelli and Spadea on their positions—citing Spadea's endorsement of amnesty for undocumented immigrants and Ciattarelli's support for allowing them access to driver’s licenses. The flyer emphasizes Bramnick’s votes against New Jersey’s 2019 legislation permitting undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, along with a 2013 law that offered in-state college tuition to undocumented students who attended high school in the state. A related TV ad claims he is “the toughest candidate on immigration” and a “tested conservative who can win.”
Recently, Bramnick introduced the “New Jersey Laken Riley Act” (NJ S4302), proposing that undocumented immigrants charged with any indictable offense be detained and that local law enforcement collaborate with federal immigration authorities.
Despite years in politics—dating back to his role as a Plainfield councilmember in the 1980s and his entry into the Legislature as an Assemblymember in 2003—Bramnick struggles with name recognition. A March 6 poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found he was recognized by only 43 percent of Republicans, in contrast to Ciattarelli’s 78 percent and Spadea’s 54 percent.
Amid a barrage of negative ads between Spadea and Ciattarelli, Bramnick has remained largely unchallenged, including regarding his association with Christie—a political ally he supported during Christie’s presidential bid against Trump.
In response to remarks about him from Ciattarelli's strategist Chris Russell, the latter stated Bramnick is “barely a Republican” and criticized him for hosting Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy at his home in 2021 while Ciattarelli was competing for the Republican nomination against Murphy, whom he would later lose to by a narrow margin.
“He cannot credibly run to the right of anyone on any issue,” Russell argued. “When Phil Murphy raised our taxes, exploded our budget, killed seniors in nursing homes and made us a sanctuary state, Jon Bramnick had him over for hot dogs and hamburgers.”
During a February debate, Bramnick drew boos from the audience when he openly criticized Trump’s pardon of violent January 6 rioters, stating, “Let me make this clear: Either we’re the party of law and order or we’re not. You can clap, you can boo if you want, but I will stand with police officers every time.”
In contrast, Ciattarelli and Spadea have consistently praised Trump, eagerly seeking his endorsement. Recently, Ciattarelli met with Trump at his Bedminster golf club, shortly before Spadea had a brief encounter with the president as well.
“Jon’s not pretending, and I think that’s resonating with people as he goes around the state,” said Mike DuHaime, a consultant and friend of Bramnick. “He’s not going to back away from who his friends are, who he’s worked with in the past.”
Although Bramnick's fundraising efforts have not been exceptional, they have been sufficient to maintain his candidacy. He has raised enough funds to qualify for matching assistance from the state, accumulating nearly $2.8 million so far.
Dan Cassino, director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, mentioned Bramnick is attempting to navigate his anti-Trump position while attracting Trump’s voters. Instead of openly supporting Trump like other candidates, Cassino noted that Bramnick is “trying to reframe” the debate.
“Instead of being who’s the most pro-Trump candidate, let’s talk about an issue: Who’s the most anti-undocumented immigrant candidate,” Cassino stated. “I think it’s a perfectly reasonable strategy. The question is whether the other candidates will actually get drawn into the debate without just talking about Trump.”
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
