With the presidential election now in the rearview mirror, the Republican gubernatorial primary is shaping up to be a fight between the moderate wing of the GOP and the pro-Trump far right wing.

President elect Donald Trump had a better than expected showing in New Jersey, losing the state to Kamala Harris by just five points.

Could that narrowing gap signal a rightward shift in the state that will carry into the race for governor?

Or will a more traditionally moderate Jersey Republican win out?

Senior political correspondent David Cruz reports.

At last week's League of Municipalities, Republican gubernatorial candidates Public Forum Senator Jon Bramnick and former Senator Ed had the stage all to themselves.

After presumed front runner Jack Chatterley canceled, citing scheduling conflicts.

Bill Bailey, his team, said they wouldn't do it because they only wanted in if generalI was in the former assemblymen and the morning shock jock are eyeing each other as the guy they got to get through to get to the nomination.

The guy does not know how to win.

And the challenge is because I believe he's not sincere in inauthentic.

And people see that.

So, you know, here's a guy that has run twice.

Now you come into 2025, there's a solid two thirds of that support.

He had in 21 that he does not have now in 25, Stadia insists that New Jersey is in play for Republicans come 2025 and points to Donald Trump's better than expected single digit loss on Election Day.

As proof the result, Spader and generally are battling each other to show voters whose Trump beer loyalty matters to President Trump.

Bill, you've had my back from the beginning, and I really appreciate it.

General Lee He's a fake Republican.

Donald J. Trump won a historic landslide election, crushing Kamala Harris to save America.

No thanks to a phony radio talk show host Bill Spadina.

Spadina attacked Trump repeatedly.

It's always been thought that Donald Trump is toxic in New Jersey, and now it seems like that's not necessarily the case as much as it used to be, at least.

And Trump is really going to define this primary more than it was originally thought, and that you're going to see these two candidates.

Battle it out.

Over the years, both Spadina and generalI have been less than 100%.

Trump generally once called him a charlatan and spaniel, called the Trump presidency a failure.

Former state Senator Ed Durr, who's raised $0 for his campaign and would appear to be bringing up the rear, says he trumps both generalI and Spadina on loyalty to the president elect.

I find it funny that these guys are out there attacking each other on who's more Trump or who's more anti-Trump.

And again, like I said.

They basically ignored.

Me.

And they they and I think they want to do that.

I want an intentional purpose because they know that the grass roots truly like me more than any of them, because I'm one of the people.

That may be the battle for the hearts and minds of the Trump loyalists, but they don't always show up at the polls when the president isn't on the ballot.

State Senator Jon Bramnick has been the most consistent and loudest anti-Trump voice since the first Trump term.

Bramnick is a different story, and there's a lot of people who count him out because, you know, you can't necessarily be Trump critical while Trump is president to the Trump voters in the Republican primary.

So that's the conventional wisdom.

But I will tell you that if the Trump voters are splitting themselves two or three ways, then maybe there is a path in which Bramnick has a clearer lane than they do.

If you want a Republican to win, you want a Republican is focusing on New Jersey, not simply trying to be, you know, the best friend to Donald Trump.

I understand it might work in a primary, but all of those candidates are against the swamp.

They're going to get beat.

They're going to get smoked in a general election.

With just over six months to go before the primary day in June.

A lot can happen in New Jersey and Washington in a radical shift in policy.

Foreign and domestic could cut both ways in a primary here, where voters are looking for a quick fix can be easy to frustrate and a frustrated voter can be unpredictable.

I'm David Cruz.

NJ Spotlight News.