Republicans Looking to Flip Two New Jersey Congressional Seats in November

New Jersey’s Democratic and Republican congressional district primary elections feature well-funded incumbents who are expected to breeze in on June 7 and advance on to November’s ballots, where many will face familiar foes in rematches from the 2020 elections.

Democrats now hold 10 of the state’s 12 U.S. House seats with November’s ballot already set in two congressional districts because Democrat and Republican candidates are unchallenged in their primaries.

Of the 10 congressional districts contested in the primaries, Republicans in five are vying to get back on to the general election ballot to unseat Democrats that defeated them two years ago.

Only one seat is open with the pending retirement of Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.) in Congressional District 8. Of the remaining 11 incumbents, four sitting Democratic House representatives have primary challengers, and five do not, meaning they are guaranteed to be on November’s ballots.

Both incumbent GOP congressional representatives, including Rep. Christopher Smith (R), the longest-serving U.S. House representative in New Jersey history, face primary challenges but are expected to advance.

The most compelling races could be in the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts, where incumbent Democrats in November will meet robustly financed Republicans boosted by post-Census redistricting and growing numbers of Republican voters.

Vote-by-mail has been underway for the primary election for several weeks. May 31 was the last day for registered voters to apply for a mail ballot for the primaries. Early in-person voting begins June 3.

Congressional District 3

New Jersey’s CD 3 spans nearly all of Burlington County with portions of the Jersey Shore in Ocean County. It is represented by Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) who is seeking a third term in November.

The Cook Political Report rates NJ-03 as swing district leaning Democratic.

Progressive Reuven Hendler, 24, of Beachwood is on the party’s primary ballot but is not expected to pose much of a challenge to Kim. As of May 18, his campaign had not raised enough money to warrant an FEC filing.

Kim’s campaign reported on May 18 that it had raised $4.4 million spent $1 million, and had $3.9 million cash on hand.

According to OpenSecrets, Kim’s biggest financial support comes from lawyers and law firms ($256,873), securities and investment concerns ($239,263), Democratic andlLiberal sources ($195,642), and the education industry ($155,580).

Three Republicans are vying for the party’s nod to challenge the potentially vulnerable Kim in November.

Bob Healey, a Burlington County resident who is executive co-chair of the Viking Group, a shipbuilding company that employs at least 1,000 people in the area. He has received the GOP party line endorsement and the most in contributions.

Healey’s campaign reported it had raised $1.2 million, spent $719,376, and had $437,421 cash on hand as of May 18 with at least $260,000 coming from his own pocket.

Also on the GOP primary ballot are an attorney and realtor Nicholas Ferrara of Hamilton, and Ian Smith, who owns Atilis Gym.

Ferrara’s campaign is largely self-funded. As of March 31, it reported to the FEC that it had raised $55,335, spent $54,900, and had $435.27 on hand.

Smith gained notoriety in 2020 and 2021 by defying New Jersey’s pandemic lockdown orders before being arrested earlier this year for a second time for drunk driving.

On May 18, his campaign reported to the FEC that it had raised $154,110, spent $80,978, and had $73,132.45 cash on hand.

Congressional District 7

New Jersey’s CD 7 includes all of Hunterdon County, and parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties.

CD 7 is represented by Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) who was first elected in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.). The district is rated by the Cook Political Reports as “leaning” Republican.

In seeking the party’s nod for a third term, Malinowski has only one primary opponent—Roger Bacon, a pro-Trump Democrat making his seventh run for public office.

Bacon’s campaign has not qualified for an FEC filing while Malinowski’s reported on May 18 that it had raised $5,117,107, spent $1,525,486, and had $3,642,716 in its war chest.

According to OpenSecrets, Malinowski’s biggest industry support comes from lawyers and law firms ($311,608), Democratic and liberal sources ($244,524), the education industry ($203,139), and securities and investment concerns ($202,028).

There are seven Republican candidates seeking to get on November’s ballot in this swing district to challenge Malinowski, who is regarded as among the most vulnerable of 2022 Congressional incumbents.

Former Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean Jr.—the grandson of former U.S. Rep. Robert Kean and son of former Republican Gov. Thomas H. Kean, Sr.—is regarded as the frontrunner.

Kean lost in 2020 to Malinowski by 1 percentage point. But with CD 7 becoming a bit more red following redistricting, Republicans like their chances in 2022.

Kean’s campaign reported to the FEC on May 18 that it had raised $2.2 million, spent $1.1 million, and had $1.2 million in cash on hand.

Challenging the frontrunner Kean is Assemblyman Erik Peterson, a 12-year veteran of the state legislature, whose campaign reported to the FEC on May 18 that it had raised $62,194, spent $34,471, and had $27,723 in its war chest.

2021 gubernatorial candidate Phil Rizzo is also on the CD 7 GOP primary ballot. His campaign reported to the FEC on May 18 that it had raised $227,947, spent $149,316.38, and had no cash on hand.

Long Valley businessmen Kevin Dorlon’s campaign reported on May 18 that it had raised $24,743.84, spent $21,477, and had $3,317 cash on hand on May 18.

John Henry Isemann, 27, Fredon Mayor John Flora, and U.S. Navy veteran Sterling Irwin Schwab are also all on the CD 7 Republican primary. None of their campaigns met the threshold for FEC filings.

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