Former News 12 New Jersey reporter Alex Zdan will withdraw from the U.S. Senate race tomorrow, leaving Curtis Bashaw and Christine Serrano Glassner to battle for the Republican nomination in the June 4 primary, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.
A six-week campaign for the journalist-turned-candidate netted him impressive victories, including victories: a convention win in Monmouth, one of the state’s top vote-producing GOP primary counties, and a screening committee win in Passaic. But two counties, which make up 14.6% of the registered Republicans statewide, weren’t enough to provide Zdan with a solid path to winning his party’s nomination.
A source with direct knowledge of Zdan’s plans told the New Jersey Globe an announcement will come tomorrow, the last day to file nominating petitions for the primary election.
The GOP nominee will likely face Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in the general election. Kim became the heavy favorite earlier today when First Lady Tammy Murphy announced that she was dropping out of the Senate race.
Still, the contest became a little more interesting last week when the three-term Democratic incumbent, Bob Menendez, said he might re-election as an independent.
Menendez is under indictment on federal corruption charges, and his trial begins on May 6. The filing deadline for independent candidates is June 4.
Republican organizations in Monmouth and Passaic counties have until Thursday to file a bracketing letter to replace Zdan on their line.
Bashaw, a real estate developer and hotelier, has scored organization endorsements in Atlantic, Ocean, Cumberland, Somerset, Camden, Mercer, Gloucester, Middlesex, Cape May, Burlington, Salem, and Essex – which represents about 51.5% of the Republican primary voters statewide.
Serrano Glassner, the mayor of Mendham, has county party endorsements in Hunterdon, Union, Morris, Warren, Bergen, and Sussex.
The last Republican to win a Senate seat was Clifford P. Case, who was re-elected in 1972. Since then, 48 other states have elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate; only Hawaii has gone longer.