an x icon - click to close the quick summary modal

quick summary

Justin Barbera

Justin Barbera is a Christian conservative outsider and 20-year small business owner from Burlington County who is running for governor on a platform centered around faith, working-class values, and fierce opposition to government overreach. With personal experience overcoming adversity—including homelessness—and a background in representing homeowners in insurance disputes, Barbera frames his candidacy as a moral mission to return New Jersey to Judeo-Christian principles and common sense governance.

His agenda emphasizes tax relief for seniors and veterans, school reform focused on basic academics and trade education, strong Second Amendment protections, small business support, and bold stances on election integrity and immigration enforcement. He is deeply skeptical of DEI mandates, pandemic-era policies, and corporate influence in healthcare and insurance. Barbera positions himself as a grassroots alternative to establishment politics, appealing to voters frustrated with corruption, cultural shifts, and bureaucratic dominance.

Click the red x at the top of this box and then scroll down down for more in-depth information and sources.

Justin Barbera

Running for:
Governor
Incumbent
Challenger

Websites

This election is on June 10th, 2025

democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot democrt donkey mascot

2024 InformTheVoteNJ Interview With Justin Barbera

📋 Click here for full interview summary 📋

In this full-length interview, NJ Republican gubernatorial candidate Justin Barbera shares his background as a father of three and contractor, and outlines his grassroots campaign to bring practical, conservative leadership to Trenton. Hosted by Steven Solof of InformTheVoteNJ.com, the conversation covers Barbera’s key platform pillars—ending sanctuary policies and supporting ICE, cracking down on government waste and corrupt contracts, restoring practical education like trades and civics, securing elections through paper ballots, reducing healthcare and insurance costs using NJ’s population scale, and defending gun rights with expanded Second Amendment protections. Barbera emphasizes his connections to South Jersey, citing family property in Cumberland County and local engagement efforts, and proposes infrastructure improvements like broadband expansion and recycled asphalt roadwork. He advocates for better civic awareness through county-run voter info platforms and calls for NJ colleges to help rebuild local press by assigning journalism students to political coverage. Barbera presents himself as an unbought outsider committed to restoring common sense, empowering working families, and shaking up the state’s political establishment.

⏳ Click to view timestamps, topics, and takeaways ⏳

Interview Summary – Justin Barbera

This table highlights the key topics covered in the interview, summarizing major takeaways per section.

Timestamp Topic Key Takeaways
0:00 Introduction & Why InformTheVoteNJ.com Exists Steven introduces the site’s mission. Barbera agrees the media is biased and it’s hard for voters to find honest candidate info.
3:30 Barbera’s Background & Entry Into Politics Father of three, contractor, outsider. Running to provide a fresh, unfiltered voice in NJ politics.
6:45 Agenda Item 1: Public Safety & Immigration Opposes sanctuary policies, supports ICE, favors NJ residents, and proposes voluntary deportation incentives.
9:55 Agenda Item 2: Corruption & Government Waste Backs DOGE initiative, seeks contract reform, energy policy overhaul, and exposure of corrupt nonprofit practices.
11:45 Agenda Item 3: Education Reform Wants practical education including trades, agriculture, and union prep. Opposes bias in school curriculum.
16:45 Election Integrity & Civic Culture Supports secure paper ballots over machines. Wants to build civic awareness, possibly through a state app.
26:15 COVID, Vaccines & Public Health Opposes mandates and lockdowns. Advocates for medical freedom and parental choice on health matters.
28:55 Policy 5756, PBIS, & School Discipline Criticizes unclear policies. Opposes PBIS. Supports clearer, traditional discipline structures and parental rights.
36:40 Gun Rights & Insurance Reform Supports stand-your-ground laws, unlimited magazines, and cracking down on inflated insurance costs.
40:00 Cumberland County Engagement Highlights ties to the region. Supports agriculture and expanding access to healthy food in rural areas.
44:40 Nabb Ave Extension & Roadbuilding Innovation Proposes using recycled asphalt and new technology to fix roads efficiently and reduce red tape.
48:30 Middle Mile Broadband Supports rural broadband as critical infrastructure. Open to using the fastest tech to connect underserved areas.
52:15 East Point Lighthouse & Prison Labor Proposal Suggests using nonviolent inmates to help restore historic sites and gain job training.
54:30 Candidate Info & County Outreach Reform Supports county-managed forums, video interviews, and voter guides. Wants to unify access through a state or county app.
57:45 Rebuilding Local Press Proposes NJ colleges assign students to cover local news and rebuild trust in political reporting.
1:01:30 Final Pitch: Why Vote Barbera? Frames himself as an honest, unbought outsider fighting for working-class people and real reform.

Agenda

  • Tax Reform
    - Cut taxes for seniors, veterans, and the disabled
    - Eliminate or significantly raise SALT deduction caps
    - Remove taxes on pensions and retirement income

  • Education
    - Emphasize traditional fundamentals: reading, writing, arithmetic
    - Reduce dependency on calculators; restore basic math fluency
    - Integrate skilled trades and union training into school curricula
    - Oppose DEI mandates and left-leaning political content in schools

  • Trade & Labor
    - Promote the skilled trades as viable alternatives to college
    - Encourage union participation in workforce development and education

  • Infrastructure
    - Broad support for infrastructure revitalization
    - Proposes use of prisoners (e.g. chain gangs) to rebuild cities and reduce recidivism

  • Gun Rights
    - Strong Second Amendment supporter
    - Endorses widespread gun availability and youth firearm education

  • Small Business & Economy
    - Reduce government red tape on small businesses
    - Prioritize support for mom-and-pop shops over corporate monopolies
    - Challenge insurance company overreach in New Jersey markets

  • Healthcare
    - Expand access to affordable healthcare
    - Protect small practices from being overrun by corporate consolidation and insurance industry control

  • Renewable Energy
    - Support solar power expansion and general energy innovation

  • Election Integrity
    - Favor in-person voting over vote-by-mail
    - Support armed protection of ballot transport
    - Advocate for DOJ-led corruption investigations in NJ elections

  • Immigration
    - Take a strong stance against illegal immigration
    - Collaborate with ICE and support enforcement at the local level
    - Proposed symbolic solution to “buy Mexico for a dollar” to highlight federal inaction

  • Governance & Reform
    - Create a “NJ-GOV Efficacy Task Force” to root out inefficiency and corruption
    - Support custody reform for parents
    - Launch a “Street Vendor Project” to empower local sellers and encourage community-based farming

  • Pandemic Response & Mandates
    - Oppose lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and related emergency powers
    - Support rehiring of public workers fired for non-compliance with mandates

  • Opposition Stances
    - Oppose transgender affirmation policies in schools and government
    - Reject government lobbying, earmarks, and systemic corruption
    - Oppose forced vaccination and pandemic lockdowns
    - Oppose DEI mandates and sprawling rural development
    - Expressed concern about weather modification programs like “cloud seeding”

Background and Experience

Justin Barbera is a general contractor and longtime small business owner with over 20 years of experience specializing in insurance claims and homeowner advocacy. Raised in Burlington County, New Jersey, Barbera comes from a military family and was brought up by a single mother and grandparents. He attended Fork Union Military Academy and often shares his story of overcoming personal adversity, including a period of homelessness, as a reflection of resilience and determination.

Deeply rooted in his Christian faith, Barbera frequently references “King Jesus” as the moral foundation for his political and personal decision-making. He believes America must return to its Judeo-Christian values to restore accountability, integrity, and purpose in governance. His outsider candidacy is framed around lived experience, moral conviction, and a commitment to dismantling entrenched political and corporate systems that he believes have left everyday New Jerseyans behind.