New Jersey's GOP primary for governor could pivot on Trump, a part-time resident

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The most important Republican in New Jersey's race for governor this year might well be a part-time resident of Bedminster who burnished his reputation and his brand near the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

“Donald Trump is the X factor in this GOP primary,” said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. “His endorsement right now could make or break, depending on to whom he gives it.”

But in a state that has long leaned Democratic, the president's endorsement in the June 10 primary could complicate things in a general election, where the winner of a six-person Democratic field awaits.

That may explain why one Republican candidate, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, has criticized Trump over his pardons for those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and why two other leading contenders have sought the president's support without much fanfare.

Still, in one of only two states with a race for governor this year — Virginia is the other — the general election will be closely watched for clues about whether blue state voters have been won over or repelled by Trump’s leadership. Trump, who built his brand as an Atlantic City casino owner and still owns property in New Jersey, including the Bedminster golf club, narrowed the margin between 2020 and 2024 but still lost the state, and Democrats maintain firm control.

Some Republicans think that's changing.

The GOP field dwindled from five candidates to four this past week when Ed Durr, a former state senator and vocal Trump supporter, dropped out. Durr made national news in 2021 when he shocked state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, by winning in their southern New Jersey district. A furniture truck driver new to elected office, Durr said in a statement he was ending his campaign so radio host and fellow Trump supporter Bill Spadea could defeat “never Trumpers” in the race.

Both Spadea and Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee for governor who lost by roughly three percentage points to term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, have said critical things of Trump in the past, but both have embraced him lately.

Ciattarelli met with the president last week. Chris Russell, his campaign strategist, declined to discuss details of the meeting, but said Ciattarelli welcomes the president’s support if he should give it. A message seeking comment was left with Spadea’s campaign.

Mario Kranjac, the former two-term mayor of the suburban New York City town of Englewood Cliffs and a recent entrant into the race, said he thinks he is the most Trump-aligned candidate because he never wavered in his support for Trump during the president's first term.

“The residents and citizens and taxpayers of New Jersey need a governor with fixed values and beliefs, and that’s me -- in terms of everything that I stand for and that President Trump stands for,” he said in a phone interview. “They shouldn’t have to worry that when something happens, their candidate is going to abandon President Trump, which I would never do.”

Part of the challenge for Republicans is that the value of Trump's support is a moving target. The first two months of his second term as president may have alienated some voters but won others over. Anticipating how much value Trump could add to the campaign when voters cast their primary ballots is guesswork, with circumstances changing by the day.

In the pre-Trump era, some Republicans successfully navigated the shoals between the primary and the general elections. While Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey in more than five decades, they have enjoyed more success in governor's races. The last three Republicans elected governor — Thomas Kean Sr., Christine Todd Whitman and Chris Christie — all won two consecutive terms. But their brand of politics included business-friendly conservatism, hardly the same as Trump's aggressive populism.

Democrats remain the dominant party in the state, but some Republicans say that hold is slipping. Russell, Ciattarelli’s strategist, points to the registration gains the GOP has made, shaving the Democrats’ advantage from 1 million more voters to 834,000 more.

He said Democrats should not be overconfident in their traditional advantages.

“I think they’re missing the lesson of the 2024 election in New Jersey, which is Donald Trump did exceedingly well in New Jersey,” he said.

The weight of Trump’s influence lingers as one of the lessons the GOP took from 2024. That much seemed evident in Durr's withdrawal from the race.

In his statement announcing the decision, Durr said he was ending his campaign so Spadea could prevail. Soon after, Durr said his statement was not actually an endorsement. Steve Kush, a Durr spokesperson, explained the distinction and, in the process, reflected who the big dog is in the primary.

“He doesn’t want to use the word endorse because he doesn’t want to get ahead of President Trump,” Kush said.

FILE - Former state senator Ed Durr speaks following the first Republican debate, Feb. 4, 2025, at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. (AP Photo/Mike Catalini, File)

FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump walks after a news conference at Trump National Golf Club, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — St. Pauli supporters have raised over 27 million euros (29.1 million) for a majority stake in the club's stadium after taking part in German soccer's first fan cooperative.

The Hamburg-based club said Tuesday more than 21,000 people joined the fundraising cooperative after its near five-month subscription period ended at a minute to midnight the night before.

St. Pauli said there had been a “huge rush” of people buying shares to be part-owners of the Millerntor Stadium in the final hours.

They each spent 850 euros ($917) for each share they bought, with 100 euros ($108) of that going on fees and contributions. Each purchase entered the buyer in a draw for prizes including a dinner with team captain Jackson Irvine, VIP packages, signed jerseys and more.

Bayern Munich powerbroker Uli Hoeness, who organized a benefit game for St. Pauli in 2003 when the club was in financial difficulty, was among the new stakeholders buying shares.

“The cooperative will open up new possibilities for FC St. Pauli,” commercial director Wilken Engelbracht said. ”By acquiring a majority stake in the stadium, the club will be able to reduce its financial liabilities much quicker than planned.”

The cooperative’s board of directors still has to process outstanding orders and review the figures before acquiring the majority stake in the stadium. The final results of the subscription phase and the next steps are to be presented to members in May, with the cooperative’s first general meeting scheduled for June.

St. Pauli was promoted back to the Bundesliga as second-division champion last season. The team is currently three points clear of the relegation zone with seven rounds remaining.

“We now want to use the momentum from the subscription phase to achieve our next big goal, and to achieve Bundesliga survival,” club president Oke Göttlich said.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

St. Pauli fans celebrate their team's victory following a Bundesliga soccer match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Friday, March 14, 2025, in Hamburg, Germany. (Christian Charisius/dpa via AP)