No GOP candidate makes ballot vs. Pallone

Both GOP candidates for Congress in New Jersey’s 6th district have been tossed off the ballot for not having enough signatures, leaving Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) unopposed unless a Republican can secure 100 write-in votes in the July 7 primary election.

An administrative law judge today ruled that Christian Onuoha and Sammy Gindi didn’t meet the 200 signature threshold needed to qualify for a spot on the primary ballot.

Gindi says that he plans to run as a write-in.

Onuoha declined comment, including whether he will appeal the judge’s ruling.

“There are things we are still working on,” he said.  “We’ll see where we go from there.  This outbreak affected a lot of this.”

Onuoha had been picked by the Monmouth and Ocean County Republicans to run on their organization line against Pallone.  His petitions included dubious signatures from Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Derek Jeter and Lysol Can.

Pallone faces primary opposition from Amani Al-Khatahtbeh and Russ Cirincione.

The powerful chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, Pallone has been in Congress since 1988.