Van Drew declines Congressional run
Posted by Cape May County News at 4/1/2008 4:55 PM and is filed under Wildwood Leader,Upper Township Gazette,Cape May Gazette,Middle Township Gazette,Ocean City Gazette 
No fooling; Jeff Van Drew will take a pass on the Democratic nomination for Congress this year.
Van Drew has long been seen as the most likely challenger to Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, up for his seventh term this year. Democratic representatives have made clear that the nomination was his for the asking. However, Van Drew has repeatedly put off committing himself one way or another,
With the deadline for filing petitions for a spot on the ballot looming at 4 p.m. Monday, April 7, Van Drew said on Tuesday, April 1, that he would not seek the Congressional seat.
“I’m not running,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “We are confronted by the most impossible and extreme set of budget circumstances in the history of the state of New Jersey. I just couldn’t abandon the budget process at this point in time.”
Van Drew’s office was set to notify the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Tuesday.
He said while he put off making a final decision until very late in the process, he at no point asked that the nomination be held for him, and said that any potential candidates that were interested should go ahead and put their names forward.
One potential candidate could be Cape May Councilman Dave Kurkowski, who according to more than one source has indicated he wants to take a run at the seat. He was not immediately available for comment.
Frank LoBiondo’s campaign office indicated on Tuesday that he would have no comment on the race until after the April 7 filing deadline.
In his past six elections, LoBiondo has not won by less than 60 percent of the vote, and so far he has not faced a challenge from anyone with the name recognition of Van Drew since he won the 1994 primary race against William Gormley for the Republican nomination, after veteran Democratic Congressman William Hughes announced his retirement.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spoken with Van Drew about the race several times, and has done extensive polling to see how he would stand against LoBiondo district wide.
Van Drew initially promised a decision after the New Year, and throughout this year, he has repeatedly said he was leaning against a run, but that he would announce his decision soon.
Van Drew has long been seen as the most likely challenger to Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, up for his seventh term this year. Democratic representatives have made clear that the nomination was his for the asking. However, Van Drew has repeatedly put off committing himself one way or another,
With the deadline for filing petitions for a spot on the ballot looming at 4 p.m. Monday, April 7, Van Drew said on Tuesday, April 1, that he would not seek the Congressional seat.
“I’m not running,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “We are confronted by the most impossible and extreme set of budget circumstances in the history of the state of New Jersey. I just couldn’t abandon the budget process at this point in time.”
Van Drew’s office was set to notify the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Tuesday.
He said while he put off making a final decision until very late in the process, he at no point asked that the nomination be held for him, and said that any potential candidates that were interested should go ahead and put their names forward.
One potential candidate could be Cape May Councilman Dave Kurkowski, who according to more than one source has indicated he wants to take a run at the seat. He was not immediately available for comment.
Frank LoBiondo’s campaign office indicated on Tuesday that he would have no comment on the race until after the April 7 filing deadline.
In his past six elections, LoBiondo has not won by less than 60 percent of the vote, and so far he has not faced a challenge from anyone with the name recognition of Van Drew since he won the 1994 primary race against William Gormley for the Republican nomination, after veteran Democratic Congressman William Hughes announced his retirement.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spoken with Van Drew about the race several times, and has done extensive polling to see how he would stand against LoBiondo district wide.
Van Drew initially promised a decision after the New Year, and throughout this year, he has repeatedly said he was leaning against a run, but that he would announce his decision soon.
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