South Jersey Senator Ed Durr Drops Out of NJ Governor Race and Supports Bill Spadea
Ed Durr, the truck driver from South Jersey who became known for defeating longtime Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021, has ended his campaign for New Jersey governor. He made the announcement just before the deadline to submit signatures for the June 10 Republican primary ballot, 4:00 p.m. on Monday, March 24. Durr released a public statement at 3:24 p.m., just 36 minutes before the cut-off.
Durr explained that while his supporters worked hard and collected enough petition signatures, he could not raise enough money to qualify for public matching funds. In New Jersey, the minimum needed to qualify is $580,000. Because he failed to meet that amount, he would not be included in the primary debates, which are an important part of gaining attention from voters across the state. Without debate access or enough funding, he said it was not possible to continue his campaign.
Durr represented New Jersey’s 3rd Legislative District for one term after winning his Senate seat in 2021. Before that election, he had never held public office and worked full-time as a commercial truck driver. He became widely known when he won the race against Sweeney while spending less than $2,500. That unexpected win gave him national attention in conservative circles.
Durr supported Donald Trump and identified with the MAGA political movement. His platform focused on cutting taxes and reducing government spending. He also pushed for lowering property taxes and ending the state’s sales tax, though those promises would have been difficult to fulfill. During his time in office, he proposed several bills on conservative issues, including relaxing gun laws and limiting abortion rights, but none of them became law.
After leaving the Senate in 2023—when South Jersey Democrats won back the seat he held—Durr entered the 2025 governor’s race with hopes of another upset. However, from the beginning, his campaign struggled to raise money and lacked a strong organization. He never filed campaign finance reports showing how much money he had received, if any.
By March 2025, three Republican candidates—Jack Ciattarelli, State Senator Jon Bramnick, and conservative radio host Bill Spadea—had already qualified for matching funds. That meant they would appear in debates and have wider public exposure. Four Democratic candidates had also qualified, and six Democrats were running for their party’s nomination.
Ciattarelli, the GOP nominee in 2021, had come close to defeating Governor Phil Murphy in the last election. Bramnick, a Republican from Union County, has been critical of Trump and describes himself as a moderate. Spadea, on the other hand, is openly conservative and has been seeking Trump’s endorsement. He appeals to the MAGA base and has gained support from many of the same voters who once backed Durr.
At first, Durr sent a message stating that he was endorsing Bill Spadea. He said he did not want to divide the conservative vote, like what happened in the last GOP primary. He also said that Bramnick does not support Trump, and Ciattarelli had opposed Trump in the past. Durr argued that Spadea is the only true conservative in the race who supports Trump and the MAGA movement.
Later that day, Durr told POLITICO through a text message that he had not made an official endorsement. This caused confusion, but reports continue to link Durr’s support to Spadea since his public statement praised Spadea’s position in the race.
Other Republican candidates who filed to run for governor include Roger Bacon, a production mechanic; Monica Brinson, a teacher; Jim Fazzone, the former mayor of Burlington City; and Mario Kranjac, the former mayor of Englewood Cliffs. These candidates have not received the same level of attention as the frontrunners.
This year’s New Jersey governor’s race is one of only two in the country, the other being in Virginia. Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and cannot run again. Even though Democrats have nearly one million more registered voters than Republicans in New Jersey, the GOP has sometimes been successful in off-year elections for governor. This makes the 2025 race competitive for both parties.
Trump’s role in the Republican primary is important. Over the weekend, he met Ciattarelli and Spadea separately. His endorsement could influence which candidate wins the nomination.
Durr’s campaign never had a clear lane in this race. While Spadea attracted the MAGA voters, Ciattarelli appealed to those looking for experience, and Bramnick stood out as a moderate. Though a strong Trump supporter, Durr had earlier said that simply supporting Trump was not enough to win. He wanted the race to be about real policy, like lowering costs and making the state affordable.
However, his campaign promises, such as eliminating property taxes for homeowners and ending the sales tax, would have required massive changes to state revenue. Critics saw those proposals as unrealistic. Also, some of his past online comments—like his statement that “a woman does have a choice! Keep her legs closed”—had damaged his public image and hurt his political standing.
Despite ending his campaign, Durr said he is not done with politics. He is still listed in New Jersey’s campaign finance system as a 2027 candidate for the state Senate, although this does not mean he will definitely run. State Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco called him “the David that beat Goliath” and said people will always remember him for defeating Steve Sweeney.
