The candidate for governor of New Jersey says he will rename the Bon Jovi rest area in honor of President Donald Trump

WOODBRIDGE, NJ – Jon Bon Jovi has a coverage area in the Garden State named in his honor, but if a gubernatorial candidate wins next year, he says he will strip the New Jersey-born singer of that honor.

Joseph Rullo, who ran for governor in 2017 and came third in a crowded GOP primary, says if he wins in 2025, Jon Bon Jovi will be Gone Bon Jovi.

Rullo points to Bon Jovi’s political activism during the 2024 presidential election cycle, supporting Kamala Harris and supporting the Democratic Party’s divisive campaign.

“If you look at the names on these rest areas, they are truly New Jersey legends who never told half the state that they were trash,” Rullo said. “James Gandolfini, Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, Larry Doby… these are American legends and patriots.”

In 1991, Whitney Houston delivered a breathtaking performance of the Star Spangled Banner during the Super Bowl as American troops fought in Iraq. Since then, it has become one of the most iconic performances of the national anthem.

Rullo said the impact Gandolfini and Sinatra had on New Jersey and America is clear.

Lary Doby was the first African American to play baseball in the American League, following in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson, Rullo said.

“I would rename the Jon Bon Jovi rest area the Donald J. Trump rest area,” Rullo said. “Trump is a resident of New Jersey. He spends a lot of time at his home in Bedminster and his contributions to America and New Jersey far outweigh the divisive politics of Jon Bon Jovi.”

Rullo said that wasn’t all, and he would also ban Bruce Springsteen from ever being entitled to have a state building or facility named after him.

“There are people like Bruce Springsteen and we should never honor them as a state. These people had great careers, but they chose to end their careers in disgrace by attacking nearly half of the population of New Jersey,” Rullo said.

Who else would Rullo ban? Politician. Chris Christie, Christine Todd Whitman and Phil Murphy also would not be allowed to name buildings or streets in their honor, he said.