Rush will run again for 2nd congressional district in 2024

Carolyn Rush, the runner-up in last year’s Democratic primary in the 2nd congressional district, announced today that she’ll run once again in 2024 to defeat Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis).

“My campaign will focus on strengthening our economy, addressing women’s healthcare rights, dealing with the health of our planet, and addressing the root causes of rising crime,” Rush said in her announcement. “I learned many things during my 2022 midterm campaign to unseat Jeff Van Drew – and one of the most important lessons was the importance of building momentum and starting early.”

Rush was a political newcomer when she ran for the 2nd district last year, but she managed to hold Tim Alexander – the Democratic frontrunner who had most organizational lines – to an unexpectedly small 62%-38% win. In the general election, Alexander struggled to draw attention and funding to his campaign, and he lost to Van Drew by a punishing 19-point margin.

It remains to be seen whether Democrats will target the district more heavily this year. The district is nominally competitive, backing Donald Trump by five points in the 2020 presidential election, but Van Drew has established a strong local brand and will be tough to beat.

Rush, a member of the Lockheed Martin engineering staff and a resident of Sea Isle City, said she’s focusing for now on establishing herself throughout the South Jersey district.

“I’m excited to resume traveling throughout the entire 2nd district to learn more about what its constituents are looking for in their elected representatives and the issues that affect them most,” Rush said.