the three leading Republican candidates for governor sparred Wednesday night in the first of two state sponsored debates moderated by senior political correspondent David Cruz and WNYC Morning host Michael Hill differentiating themselves on issues ranging from affordability and school choice to immigration and DEI while President Trump's name also loomed large senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan has the highlights as we like to say in New Jersey we're just talking here and they sure talked often over each other the three top GOP candidates for New Jersey governor former Assemblyman Jack Chidarelli front runner in the most recent Rucker Eagleton poll state senator John Bramnik a rare moderate Republican and former radio host Bill Spadia a hardcore Donald Trump supporter conversations sometimes got so animated co-odderator and chatbox host David Cruz had to call timeouts waiting for the third man for the next report just keep going we definitely cannot character you're sad as we definitely can't do this all three said they'd welcome an endorsement from the president who lost Jersey by just six points last November and they revisited their campaign talking points on litmus test issues like abortion segregation and LGBTQ curricula but there's obvious daylight between these guys they clashed on immigration should deportes get due process bad guys they should be deported there are people that have to be deported and not only that I'm not getting in front of ICE but I'll tell you this everyone deserves a hearing to make sure at least you got the right guy yeah john why do you get due process on the way out if you didn't use due process on the way in why because welcome welcome welcome to America spy vowed to copy Trump's MO he'd issue a blitz of executive orders and fire Democrats sitting on state boards he derisively called his opponents quote insiders which prompted this retort let me say something about the term that he uses frequently insider the reason he's not an insider as per his definition of insider is because he's never won an election the candidates made some news when asked by Michael Hill co-host of Morning Edition on WNYC radio if they'd stack New Jerseys highest court with conservatives or keep the panel evenly balanced would you maintain the traditional partisan balance on the state supreme court i don't know interesting question why don't you know because the way I look at the Supreme Court is that they have been a complete disaster over time and we know that the chief justice will hit the retirement age and we're going to replace him and uh I'd like to see a common sense court help us roll back Mount Laurel and uh and protect parental rights no we need conservatives John 100% because guess what if a you start telling the Democrats that that's what we're going to do guess what they'll stop doing it trump and his impact on the primary he hasn't endorsed anyone yet loomed over the debate chidarelli didn't back Trump for president until 2020 that's a demerit with a MAGA crowd this is his third run for governor and this is one thing I talk about an awful lot and I don't hear from either Bill or John my first job as the nominee for the part is to have coattails we need a Republican majority in the state legislature we can have it within 24 months but as the front runner he drew the most fire from opponents and some withering criticism from Spadia this guy will check any box to get any vote in any room he has no principles or any core that's somebody without character jack lost twice and now he's telling us how to win elections it's very very important you do have somebody on top of the ticket and everybody knows that Democrats are afraid to run against me bramik urged Republicans to have a heart as they solve New Jerseys problems when Cruz asked whether they'd back whoever won the Republican primary yes or no absolutely the goal is to win will you support the winner of this primary the goal is to win the for the Republican party we need a change here in New Jersey the goal is to save this state really quick declined to commit i'm Brenda Flanigan NJ Spotlight News