Tennille McCoy says she’s unlikely to run for Congress in NJ-12

Assemblywoman Tennille McCoy (D-Hamilton) is not expected to join the crowded field of Democrats seeking the open congressional seat in New Jersey’s 12th district, but she still hasn’t made a final decision.

“More than likely, we will not be running,” McCoy told the New Jersey Globe this morning.

McCoy, a two-term lawmaker who represents four Middlesex municipalities from the 12th in the legislature, told Politico in December that she was a “95% yes” on entering the race to succeed retiring six-term Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).  She had filed with the Federal Election Commission and briefly had a campaign website.

Seventeen Democrats are competing for the seat.

Over the last few weeks, Democratic leaders have viewed a McCoy for Congress campaign as doubtful.  She did not file to compete at the Mercer County Democratic convention, and skipped the Princeton Community Democratic Organization candidate forum and endorsement vote this past weekend.  Sue Altman, a former top aide to U.S. Senator Andy Kim, won that vote by a wide margin.

Also running for the seat are Assembly Education Committee Chair Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Trenton); Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson (D-Franklin); Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp; East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen; former U.S. Department of Energy official Jay Vaingankar; former U.S. Army combat surgeon Adam Hamawy; Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck, former Middlesex Borough Councilman and U.S. Army veteran Matt Adams; former West Windsor mayoral candidate Sujit Singh; entrepreneur Elijah Dixon; fitness studio owner Kyle Little; attorney Squire Servance; Democratic Socialist Iziah Thompson;  community activist Mike Anderson; Rick Morales, a physician and former U.S. Army paratrooper; and Sam Wang, a Princeton University neuroscience professor and founder of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.

Two other potential contenders, State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) and Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, opted not to run.

McCoy said it was possible that she would endorse a candidate before the June primary election.

“We’ve got some great candidates,” she said.  “We want a great replacement for the amazing Bonnie Watson Coleman.”