Former State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan) is expected to announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor on Monday evening at a church in Egg Harbor Township.
The onetime giant slayer who unseated Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021 will become the third announced Republican candidate, joining State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-Somerville). NJ 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea is also expected to run.
“New Jersey needs a blue-collar, hard-working conservative, and I’m just the guy for the job,” Durr said. “Under Democrat rule, our budgets have ballooned, our school curriculums have been corrupted, and life has gotten more and more expensive. It’s time to send in a truck driver to turn our state around.”
Supporters are circulating an invitation to attend a “surprise announcement” at the New Life Assembly; speakers include former Atlantic County Freeholder Seth Grossman and a group of family values advocates. In addition to Durr, the invite also includes a surprise speaker who is a “fierce advocate for children and parents.”
He said he’s a conservative joining a growing moderate field.
Durr lost his seat last year against former Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) after being outspent by a 10-1 margin.
“Without county lines, a statewide campaign really comes down to who can build the better brand among primary votes. Statewide name recognition is hard to come by, and he’s got it,” Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said in April when Durr hinted at a statewide run. “For many Republicans across the state, Ed the Trucker still has folk-hero status as the Sweeney killed, and his shortfall in 2023 was certainly not in the primary.”
The former lawmaker is joining what looks like a new process for gubernatorial candidates: office block ballots with no organization lines. That obviates the need to go through a ten-week convention season.
Durr will attend Donald Trump’s rally in Wildwood on Saturday and plans to release a book he’s written at the end of the month.
He could face a rematch with Sweeney, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.