NJFOS 2025 New Jersey Primary Voter Guide

With an important primary six weeks away and mail-in ballots arriving in mailboxes this week, New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate is providing a complete guide to the 2025 New Jersey state election primaries. After the June 10 primary, this guide will be updated for the general election.

What’s In Play in 2025?

New Jersey elections are held in the off years to federal elections. This year the state is electing a new governor to replace Gov. Phil Murphy who is term-limited. In addition, the entire NJ Assembly, the lower house of the legislature, is up for election. The NJ Senate, the upper house, is not up for election this year so whoever is elected governor will inherit the current Democratic majority Senate. There is one exception. In LD35, former State Senator Nellie Pou was elected to the US Congress and her seat is up for a special election this fall.

The Democratic Party currently has a 12 seat majority in the Assembly with 52 seats where 41 votes are needed to pass legislation, and 54 votes are needed to override a veto by the Governor. To take control of the Assembly, the GOP will need to win 13 Assembly elections.

In the Senate, the Democratic Party holds a 5 seat majority with 25 seats where 21 votes are needed to pass legislation, and 27 votes are needed to override a veto.

What Can a Governor Do to Protect the Second Amendment in New Jersey?

Putting flowery campaign promises aside, under even the most optimistic outcomes this fall, enacting any serious legislation that restores gun rights would be nearly impossible given the composition of the Senate. Realistically, 2025 will be a very close race. The 2021 Election saw Phil Murphy win a second term by approximately 80,000 votes, a 3% margin. The 2024 election was a massive shift in momentum for the GOP in the Garden State. Could that be enough to produce as much as a 5 point swing in the state election? Many think so, but even if so, that would have a GOP candidate win by 50,000 votes. That scenario would likely lead to a net pick of 6 to 10 assembly votes. If, by chance, the lone Senate seat up for election this year flips, the result would be a Democratic majority of 2 to 4 votes in the Assembly and a Democratic majority of 4 votes in the Senate.

With no ability to drive legislation for at least the next two years, the promises that a gubernatorial candidate can both make AND keep to gun owners in this state are these and these alone:

1. Promise to veto any legislation that arrives at his or her desk that violates the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Second Amendment in particular.
2. Promise to listen to the concerns of gun owners in considering legislation.
3. Promise to appoint an Attorney General that respects the Constitution and could therefore reconsider the positions being taken by the State in pending litigation.

Gubernatorial Summary

NJFOS Gubernatorial Candidate Rating Summary

The Republican Field

Based on recent polling, there are three GOP campaigns with meaningful support. This guide focuses on the likely top 3 contenders. It is important to note that NO official endorsements have been made by gun rights advocacy groups for any gubernatorial candidates in NJ, including NJFOS.

Jack Ciattarelli

Ciattarelli is a business owner and a former Assemblyman representing NJ’s 16th legislative district from 2011 to 2018. He won the Republican primary for Governor in 2021, ultimately losing to incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy by approximately 80,000 votes. His rating is largely based on his voting record as an Assemblyman and his prior positions.

There were three instances in Ciattarelli’s tenure in the Assembly where he voted in opposition to gun rights advocacy groups, including the NRA. In one instance, he abstained from voting on a measure opposed by gun rights groups.  In 2021, Jack Ciattarelli was rated a B by the NRA based on these handful of votes and his questionnaire responses at the time.

In 2015, he voted Yes on A3593/S2360, which would require notification to law enforcement agencies before the expungement of involuntary mental health commitment records for firearms license applicants. The original floor vote was 74-0, with 6 abstentions (zero Republicans voted No on this measure). On the motion after Gov. Christie vetoed the bill, Ciattarelli ultimately voted No, but both the Assembly and Senate ultimately overrode the veto.

In 2016, he voted Yes on A1211/S805, which would require that law enforcement officers sign a criminal complaint when a domestic violence victim seeks a restraining order and there is probable cause that a firearm was connected to the domestic violence incident. Gov. Christie vetoed this bill on the basis that it was redundant to existing NJ law.

In 2017, he abstained from voting on A2938, which would require mental health professionals to report to law enforcement when a patient is deemed to be a danger to themselves or others and would require the seizure of firearms owned by the patient. The Senate version of this bill was tabled, and ultimately, Gov. Murphy signed a variation on this bill into law alongside the Red Flag law in 2021, long after Ciattarelli had left his post in the Assembly.

In 2018, Ciattarelli voted Yes on A5200/S3477, the ban on bump stocks. This bill came in the waning hours of the Christie administration, and just prior to leaving office, Gov. Christie signed this ban into law.

Throughout his career in Trenton, Ciattarelli voted in favor of Second Amendment rights numerous times on critical issues, and some noteworthy examples included votes against high-power rifle bans, universal background checks, high capacity magazine bans, and he voted against a law declaring gun violence a public health crisis.

In 2013, he voted No on A3659/S2178, which would ban .50 caliber rifles, the bill passed in the Assembly and Senate, and was vetoed by Gov. Christie. That bill was reintroduced in 2022 and signed into law by Gov. Murphy that year.

In 2013, he also voted No on A3690/S2430, which declared gun violence a public health crisis. That bill passed in the Assembly and Senate, and was ultimately signed into law by Gov. Christie.

In the same session, he also voted No on A3748, a universal background check bill. This bill died in the Senate and didn’t resurface until 2018, when it sailed through both chambers and was signed into law by Gov. Murphy. On that vote in 2018, only 10 Republicans in the Assembly held ground (less than half of the conference). In the Senate in that session, only 3 Republicans voted No, with 6 Abstentions.

In 2014, Ciattarelli voted No on S993/A2006, the 2014 High Capacity Mag Ban Bill, which was vetoed by Gov. Christie. This law, which would reduce the maximum magazine capacity in New Jersey from 15 rounds to 10 rounds, was one of the first gun control measures Gov. Murphy signed into law after both Ciattarelli and Gov. Christie left office. In 2014, it passed both chambers but was vetoed by Gov. Christie.

Ciattarelli’s voting record has some slight imperfections. In 2021, he was rated a B by the NRA. In a recent interview with Bearing Arms, Jack expressed some reservations surrounding the topic of concealed carry reciprocity. But while he expressed reservations, he did convey openness to listening to 2A advocacy groups on the issue. A federal reciprocity bill like H.R. 38 would completely remove the issue from the state legislative process altogether, and so, on some level, that question is a red herring. In 2025, based on both his rhetoric on the campaign trail, his updated candidate questionnaire responses which reflect a positive evolution on his positions, and the fact that his public agenda prioritizes protecting Second Amendment rights, NJFOS is rating Jack Ciattarelli as an A.

Bill Spadea

On the campaign trail, Bill Spadea has made numerous stops to address 2A voters, including taking the time to conduct this interview with the News2A team. His rhetoric has generally been good and he has publicly pledged to support Second Amendment rights. He has shown some inconsistencies, though.

In a recent interview, Spadea stumbled on questions surrounding subjective licensing standards, but he strongly supported Constitutional carry and reciprocity and those stances would largely nullify subjective licensing standards. Spadea’s campaign website does list Second Amendment issues as a specific part of his policy agenda, and he specifically calls for reciprocity legislation that would allow residents of other states to carry in New Jersey and for stand-your-ground laws. Spadea has no political record to evaluate. He consistently expresses support for the Second Amendment in his campaign. Based on his responses to candidate questionnaires, he is receiving an Aq rating.

Jon Bramnick

Jon Bramnick has a well-earned F rating. His voting record is exceptionally weak, but much more concerning is his past open support for universal background checks, limits on handgun purchases, and state and federal “assault weapon” bans. In that same interview, he lied about voting against high capacity magazine bans (he voted No on those measures three times) to make it appear that he supported the ban, and he bragged about receiving an F rating from the NRA (which was also a lie, the lowest rating he received over that period was a C). Since he essentially asked for an F rating, that is the rating he will receive. And he deserves an F on just general truthfulness.

The Democratic Field

It would be easy enough to simply assign an F grade to all of the Democratic candidates. All have at times expressed support for gun control. Mikie Sherrill has been endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety in the 2025 Gubernatorial Race. Both she and Rep. Josh Gottheimer have been endorsed by Everytown in the past in their prior Congressional races. Sean Spiller has been endorsed by the union that he runs, the New Jersey Education Association and given that organization’s close ties to March For Our Lives, the NJEA can essentially be categorized with other gun control advocacy groups. As Mayor of Jersey City, Steve Fulop received endorsements from gun control advocacy groups, and he attempted to use his office to implement gun control at the local level. Fulop has also pledged to re-appoint AG Matthew Platkin. Ras Baraka has made prior statements about supporting gun control at the state and federal level, and has been endorsed by gun control advocacy groups. For all those reasons, all five of those candidates deserve an F grade.

Steve Sweeney has an earned D-rating. Across his lengthy career as Senate President, he voted Yes on almost every major gun bill; however, in his role as Senate President, he was often viewed as an obstacle to gun control. And while many of those gun control measures passed in the legislature under his leadership, he is part of the reason fees on gun permits in New Jersey stayed low during his tenure. In context, however, his former legislative district is a more mixed environment where gun control does not enjoy broad support. Ed Durr ultimately defeated Sweeney in that district, and gun owners and hunters played a major part in that upset. In a statewide election, with less concern about keeping his local base happy, Sweeney is likely to be less of a moderate on the issue of the right to keep and bear arms and as a governor, his grade would likely slip to an F.

Key Assembly Race

There are a large number of Democratic primary races in legislative districts around the state. There are far fewer on the GOP side and as far as primary races where strong pro-2A candidates are facing primary challenges. The following list of legislative districts are races where support from gun owners is critical. In all of these districts, these candidates have received the highest ratings possible and have been endorsed by NJFOS and the NRA.

LD39 – Bob Auth (A+) and John Azzariti (A)

Legislative District 39 consists of northern parts of Bergen County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Both Auth and Azzariti are sitting incumbents facing a single primary challenger, former Congressional candidate Frank Pallota. New Jersey gun owners must keep strong pro-2A incumbents in their seats.

Auth is one of the strongest Second Amendment supporters in the state, based not just on his voting record but his constant support in open debate in the Assembly Judiciary Committee and on the Assembly Floor. Auth has held his office in the Assembly since 2014.

His campaign website can be found HERE.

Azzariti was elected to the Assembly in 2023. While his tenure has not been as long as his running mate, his voting record since taking office matches his candidate questionnaire responses and as a pro-2A supporter with an so-far consistent voting record, gun owners again need to ensure that those seats are maintained in the Assembly.

Azzariti’s campaign website can be found HERE.

LD36 – Chris Musto (Aq) and Diane DeBiase (Aq)

Legislative District 36 includes parts of southern Bergen County, and the City of Passaic in Passaic County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Musto and DeBiase are facing a primary challenge in LD36 for the nomination to run against Democratic incumbents Clinton Calabrese and Gary Schaer (both rated F based on their voting records). LD36 has been held by Democrats for nearly 20 years but in 2024, Trump won this district. In 2025, this district is projected to be competitive and one of the critical districts in the state for a GOP candidate to win the Governor’s mansion.

Musto is a former Special Agent from the Department of Homeland Security and is currently elected to the Lyndhurst Board of Education. DeBiase was elected to the Carlstadt Town Council in 2020 and works in the Carlstadt public school system. Both Musto and DeBiase submitted perfect candidate questionnaires and have proven that they can win in local elections.

Their joint campaign website can be found HERE.

LD12 – Gerry Scharfenberger (A) and Vicky Flynn (A)

Legislative District 12 is comprised of northern Monmouth County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Both Scharfenberger and Flynn are incumbents. Scharfenberger was elected in 2019, and Flynn was elected in 2021. In the GOP primary, they are running against challenger Rich Castaldo. Both Scharfenberger and Flynn have excellent voting records, and Vicky Flynn in particular has been a vocal supporter of Second Amendment rights in both committee hearings and on the Assembly floor.

Vicky Flynn’s campaign website can be found HERE.

LD38 – Rob Kaiser (Aq) and Jerry Taylor (Aq)

Legislative District 38 is comprised of central Bergen County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

GOP candidates Rob Kaiser and Jerry Taylor are running for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic incumbents Lisa Swain and Chris Tully, who are also facing a stiff primary challenge to keep their seats.

Kaiser is a sitting councilman from Paramus and a former law enforcement officer. Jerry Taylor, of Saddle Brook has run in previous elections for Assembly. Both candidates have submitted perfect candidate questionnaires. LD38 is yet another critical district to flip to the GOP in 2025. As with LD36, Trump performed extremely well in 2025 and this part of Bergen County is a critical part of the state for the Gubernatorial election.

Noteworthy Additional Endorsements and Ratings

LD3 – Chris Konawel (A) and Lawrence Moore (Aq)

Legislative District 3 is comprised of parts of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Konawel and Moore are not themselves facing a primary challenge. In the General Election, they will face off against incumbents Asm. David Bailey and Aswm. Heather Simmons. Both Konawel and Moore have received the highest ratings based on candidate questionnaires but Konawel, in his current position as Gloucester County Commissioner worked to pass a resolution at the County level to protect the Second Amendment. For that reason, Konawel deserves more than just an Aq rating, a straight A along with his endorsement. While no primary exists, gun owners should come out strong in LD3 to support Konawel and his running mate and register early support even though there are no primary challengers. If he wins the general election, Konawel will be a strong and effective champion for 2A rights in Trenton.

LD24 – Dawn Fantasia (A+) and Mike Inganamort (A)

Legislative District 24 is comprised of Sussex County in its entirety, parts of Morris County and parts of Warren County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Dawn Fantasia is the strongest single supporter of the Second Amendment in the state Assembly. She has stood in open opposition to gun control in debates on the Assembly floor, has introduced pro-2A legislation including A4242 which would strengthen self-defense laws and has introduced numerous bills that protect and expand the rights of hunters and outdoorsmen. As such, she has earned an A+ Rating, and NJFOS has named her Legislator of the Year.

While Fantasia and Inganamort are not facing a primary challenge, gun owners, hunters and outdoorsmen should register their support early by voting in the primary even though they face no GOP challengers.

LD35 – Frank Filippelli (Aq)

Legislative District 35 comprises the City of Paterson and some of the surrounding towns in Passaic and Bergen County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Filippelli has no primary challengers for his race for the nomination for the single open Senate election. Filippelli has submitted perfect candidate questionnaires and is committed to supporting the right to keep and bear arms.

He’ll face a difficult election in LD35, an historically strong Democratic district. However, President Trump performed exceptionally well in Paterson and the Trump vote in LD35 in 2024 exceeded the entire vote for both parties in the 2023 state election.

As a reminder, the current five-vote lead the Democrats hold in the Senate is just two votes short of a supermajority needed to override a veto by the Governor. Even with a GOP win in 2025, Democrats can still pass legislation without the Governor with just two GOP defections. Flipping this one Senate seat would drastically reduce those chances.

The Bad News in the Assembly

LD21 – Nancy Munoz (F) and Michele Matsikoudis (F) Face No Primary Challenge

Legislative District 21 includes portions of Morris County, Somerset County, and Union County. (Click the previous link for a complete list of towns in that district)

Given the frequency with which Munoz and Matsikoudis have voted with Democrats over their tenure in the legislature, NJFOS is assigning an F rating to both of them. Unfortunately, they are not facing a primary in 2025, though in 2027 gun owners deserve to see alternatives. There are Democrats in the Assembly that would receive a higher rating than Munoz and Matsikoudis.

As mentioned above, even if a GOP candidate wins the election for governor, if the balance of the Assembly does not change, the Democrats need just two votes to override a veto and Munoz and Matsikoudis are those two votes.

If the balance of power doesn’t shift, thanks to these two legislators in particular, gun control bills will continue to become law, regardless of who wins the Governor’s mansion.