Kate Whitman has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district, as the field for retiring Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s seat continues to narrow.
Whitman, a former congressional aide who ran for Congress a decade ago, had explored running in the weeks following Frelinghuysen’s retirement announcement. The daughter of a former governor, she is still considered a potential candidate in the future.
Insiders say that Whitman’s exit clears a path for former Harding Mayor Nicolas Platt, a moderate who is also mulling a congressional bid, to enter the race. Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris Plains) is already in the race; Assemblyman Anthony Bucco (R-Boonton) and trucking company executive Jerry Langer are also exploring their options.