Forty-two candidates have now filed petitions to run for federal office in New Jersey this year, including primary challengers to a number of the state’s Democratic members of the House.
Climate change activist John Hsu has filed to run against Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) in the 6th district, Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah will go up against Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) in the 9th district, and former Princeton school board member Daniel Dart will take on Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) in the 12th district.
Each one of those off-the-line challengers had previously announced their campaigns, but by filing petitions they’ve officially confirmed they’re in it for the long haul. Any other prospective candidates have only until March 25 – two days from now – to make their own candidacies official.
President Joe Biden will also face a primary opponent in New Jersey: anti-abortion activist Terrisa Bukovinac, whose ideological leanings seem like a bad fit for the overwhelmingly pro-choice Democratic electorate.
Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Delran) and civil rights attorney Joe Cohn filed petitions to run for Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown)’s open 3rd district, joining newcomer Brian Schkeeper. Two other Democratic candidates, Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (D-Mount Laurel) and businesswoman Sarah Schoengood, have yet to file.
And a number of Republicans who didn’t win party support have filed to run off-the-line campaigns in a variety of Democratic held districts: Damon Galdo in the 1st district, Michael Faccone and Gregory Sobocinski in the 3rd district, Paramus school board member George Song in the 5th district, Gregg Mele in the 6th district, and Hector Castillo in the 9th district. (Song does have the party line in one part of the 5th district, but not in Bergen County, where most of the district’s voters live.)
The big unknown factor in this year’s races is Kim’s lawsuit seeking to overturn the county line. It’s possible that all candidates this year will run in a line-free primary, making the party endorsements that are usually so important in New Jersey politics far less relevant – but they have to file their petitions now not knowing whether that will be the case.
One other thing to note: Reps. Pallone, Donald Norcross (D-Camden), and Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) all filed petitions using the standard party slogan across their entire districts, which is notable because it likely means they’ll be bracketed with Kim for Senate in some counties rather than with First Lady Tammy Murphy, whom they’ve endorsed.