Dr. Robert S. Lebovics, an Englewood physician who ran against Loretta Weinberg in her first State Senate race in 2005, is considering a bid for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate and the chance to take on incumbent Cory Booker.
“I think it’s more likely than not,” Lebovics said about his entrance in the Senate race. “I’m a centrist who believes in doing what’s right.”
Former News 12 reporter Alex Zdan is expected to join the race soon – he captured the endorsement of the Passaic County Republican Organization last night – and former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Justin Michael Murphy is also running. State Sen. Mike Testa (R-Vineland) and comedian Vinnie Brand have both indicated an interest in taking on Booker.
Lebovics told the New Jersey Globe that he’s met with consultants and views the elimination of county organization lines as giving him more time to decide.
“We’re in a whole new world,” he said.
A nationally known otolaryngologist, Lebovics is the co-director of the Advanced Lung and Airway Center at Hackensack Meridian Health’s John F. Kennedy University Medical Center. He specializes in infectious and inflammatory throat disorders.
Lebovics, 68, lost bids for the Englewood City Council in 2003 and 2004, and Weinberg defeated him in a 2005 special election for the unexpired term of State Sen. Byron Baer by a 65%-35% margin. Weinberg won a 2011 rematch against Lebovics with 71% of the vote.
Booker won a 2013 special election for U.S. Senate following the death of Frank R. Lautenberg, and was re-elected in 2014 and 2020. He is widely expected to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2028.
Six years ago, Booker was re-elected by 16 percentage points, and his 2,541,178 votes set a record as the largest ever cast for a statewide candidate in New Jersey.
The filing deadline is March 23.
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