David Kurkowski

Some pundits are wondering whether Democratic State Sen. Jefferson Van Drew made the wrong decision by decling to challenge U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo this year.  LoBiondowas re-elected to his eigth term in the House with 59%, his weakest showing since his unsuccessful 1992 campaign against Bill Hughes.  But LoBiondo didn't need to burn through his warchest in a race with a relatively unknown, underfinanced Democrat, Cape May City Councilman David Kurkowski; a race against Van Drew would have been exponentially more expensive, and LoBiondo would have been more engaged.

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The 3rd district congressional race between Democrat John Adler and Republican Christopher Myers is a statistical dead heat, according to a Zogby International poll conducted by The Press of Atlantic City and The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.  More than 16% of the voters poll remain undecided, with each candidate at 39%.   Adler, a State Senator from Camden County, and Myers, the Mayor of Medford, are seeking the seat of Republican Jim Saxton, who is retiring after 24 years in the House.  Republicans have held this seat since 1884.

Third district voters are also split on races for President and U.S. Senate: Barack Obama, 45%, John McCain, 44%; and Dick Zimmer, 45%, Frank Lautenberg 44%.

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One Democratic legislator from South Jersey, who asked that his name be withheld to keep him out of trouble, says that State Senator Jefferson Van Drew "screwed up" when he passed up a chance to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo this year.  "Look at the new Democratic voters in the district.  Look at the political environment... (Barack) Obama, the economy, George W. Bush, Iraq, (Sarah) Palin," the legislator told PolitickerNJ.com.  "Democrats are doing well in traditionally Republican areas and Frank is a Bush ally.  This was the best year to pick up the District 2 House seat and Van Drew was the best candidate." Read More >

VINELAND - Voters in NJ's 2nd Congressional District will have the opportunity to attend a multi-party forum at the Chestnut Assembly of God on September 30 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event, hosted by the God & Country Political Awareness Group, will be attended by candidates David Kurkowski (D), James Grover (Green Party), Gary Stein (Rock the Boat), Constantino Rozzo (Socialist Party), and Peter Boyce (Constitution Party). There is still no confirmation from Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo. LoBiondo, who in 1994 signed a pledge to stop running for Congress by 2006, is concerned the debate will interfere with his Congressional calendar.

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VINELAND - Voters in NJ's 2nd Congressional District will have the opportunity to attend a multi-party forum at the Chestnut Assembly of God on September 30 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The event, hosted by the God & Country Political Awareness Group, will be attended by candidates David Kurkowski (D), James Grover (Green Party), Gary Stein (Rock the Boat), Constantino Rozzo (Socialist Party), and Peter Boyce (Constitution Party). There is still no confirmation from Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo. LoBiondo, who in 1994 signed a pledge to stop running for Congress by 2006, is concerned the debate will interfere with his Congressional calendar.

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Jeff Van Drew insists he won’t be a late entrant into the second district House race against Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, a district where Democrats think Joe Biden’s presence at the top of the ticket could help a congressional candidate in Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties – where some residents watch Delaware TV.  

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State Sen. Jeff Van Drew says he won't change his mind and challenge U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, even with Joe Biden on the ticket
DENVER – While State Senator and almost Congressional candidate Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) thinks Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden will help Democrats down-ballot in South Jersey, he is still standing behind the Democrats’ current candidate in District 2: David Kurkowski.

“Biden has a real connect to South Jersey. There are parts of South Jersey that are closer to Delaware than they are to New York and North Jersey,” said Van Drew.

Van Drew, a Democrat with moderate appeal, was national Democrats’ hope to run a third ultra-competitive race in New Jersey, against incumbent Frank LoBiondo (R-Vineland). Van Drew acknowledged interest in running, but he would have faced criticism as an office-climber, having just moved up to the state Senate from the Assembly in a tough race last year. So he didn’t, and national Democrats but aside their interest in the seat temporarily.

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Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) isn’t taking his bid for a 15th term for granted, raising $143,300 over the last three months and now has $503,944 cash on hand.  His Democratic challenger, history professor Josh Zeitz, raised $108,101 during the same period.  Zeitz has raised $259,267 so far and has $124,535 in the bank.

Statewide, Zeitz ranks second in challenger fundraising.  Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist running against Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) raised $270,000 last quarter, according to his campaign.  He has raised $585,000 so far, with $258,000 cash on hand.

Most New Jersey challengers are faring poorly in the fundraising game.

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South Jersey Republican leaders seem to think that by the time the general election ballots are printed, Cape May City Councilman David Kurkowski won’t be the Democratic candidate for Congress against Frank LoBiondo in the second district.  And LoBiondo, insiders say, seems almost obsessed with the idea that State Sen. Jeff Van Drew will enter the race against him. 

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Congressional candidate David Kurkowski (D-Cape May): Campaign photoDemocratic Cape May Councilman David Kurkowski, who's challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Frank LoBiondo in the 2nd Congressional District, is facing the hard reality of the campaign traill.

So far, he estimates, he's spent most 90% of his time fundraising, and expects to make it just past the $100,000 mark by the Federal Election Commission's June 30th deadline.

"It's my first time doing this, and it's quite a learning experience to realize you have to spend so much time fundraising, but it's part of the reality," he said. "If you want this seat, you have to do this job."

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