John Kelly

Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly 

Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly today officially entered the race for U.S. Congress, and presented himself as a pro-life, tough on terror, fiscal conservative who would serve the entire 3rd district.

A six-term freeholder running in the half of the 3rd district that has never had a congressman, Kelly said the press would continue to depict the GOP primary war he plans to wage against Medford Mayor Chris Myers as a county versus county showdown.

An elevator-full of Rudy Giuliani supporters looked at the ceiling when confronted with today’s Monmouth University/Gannett poll numbers that show the former New York mayor in a statistical dead heat with Arizona Sen. John McCain in the 2008 GOP presidential primary.

They were riding down from the fourth floor of the Toms River law office of Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore, who also serves as state chairman of Giuliani’s campaign in New Jersey.

Gilmore wasn’t in town today.

Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly will officially announce his candidacy tomorrow, but that’s not all – he’ll also tout the support of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith.

Last week, Kelly’s likely primary opponent in Burlington County, Medford Mayor Chris Myers, announced his candidacy alongside Rep. Jim Saxton.

After staying low key for the last month and a half, Christopher Myers officially announced his congressional candidacy today, representing Burlington County in a potential primary against upcoming primary against Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly.

Whoever wins that primary will probably face state Sen. John Adler, the likely Democratic nominee, in November.

U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton was there today to endorse the 42-year-old Lockheed Martin Vice President and newly sworn in Medford Mayor, who in turn pledged to continue Saxton's legacy, emphasizing his fiscal conservatism and strength on environmental and national defense issues. He also stressed decreasing the national dependence on foreign oil.

"I am running for Congress as a ‘Jim Saxton Republican' -- a conservative on taxes and spending, a supporter of the environment and a friend of working men and women," said Myers.

State Sen. John Adler has raised $610,000 for his campaign for Jim Saxton’s seat in Congress and has $580,000 cash on hand, according to a statement released by his campaign.  Adler is seeking to become the first Democrat to win this seat since 1882.  Medford Deputy Mayor Christopher Myers and Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly are seeking the GOP nomination; neither has released fundraising figures through the end of last year.

The unexpected retirement of Republican Reps. Jim Saxton and Mike Ferguson has opened up a wide field of potential congressional candidates, many of whom have spent the last month in fundraising overdrive mode and have already gotten donors to cough up some impressive amounts of cash.

Congressional District 7

In the seventh congressional district, Republicans are lining up to challenge Democrat Linda Stender, who raised close to $2 million last year only to lose to Ferguson by one point. This time, unlike last, she has the full support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, whose Chairman, Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, came to the state in November to endorse and raise money for her and her third district counterpart John Adler.

Stender would not say how much she raised in 2007, but a source close to her said that the campaign has approximately $500,000 in the bank.

Former Tabernacle Township Committeeman Justin Murphy says he will seek the Republican nomination for Congress in the 3rd district, according to a report in the Courier-Post.  The 41-year-old businessman will oppose Medford Deputy Mayor Christopher Myers and Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly for the seat of Rep. Jim Saxton, who is retiring after 24 years in Congress.  The seat has been held by the GOP continuously since 1884.

• With Barack Obama surging in Iowa and New Hampshire, Bill Clinton comes to New Jersey to raise $1 Million for Hillary.

  Quinnipiac Polls: Corzine approvals are slipping, and Hillary and Rudy have solid leads.

  After a bitter primary, Democrats find peace in Hudson County.

  Ocean County Republicans pick John Kelly to run for Congress.

  PolitickerNJ.com’s Jeannine LaRue cartoon causes a stir.

  And Tom Kean, Jr. grows a goatee!

Ocean County Republicans today picked Freeholder John Kelly as their candidate for Congress.  Kelly, who was backed by the party screening committee on Saturday, won unanimously after Freeholder Joseph Vicari dropped out. 

Kelly, a former Mayor of Eaglewood, is now expected to face defense contractor Christopher Myers, the Deputy Mayor of Medford, in the GOP primary.  The winner will face State Sen. John Adler in the general election for the seat being vacated by 12-term incumbent Jim Saxton

Sources close to Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore say based on the results of their interviews with U.S. Congressional prospects on Saturday, a screening committee plans to recommend the name of Freeholder Director John "Jack" Kelly to the Republican County Committee.

Kelly's name will be entered as the committee's choice to represent Ocean County in the Republican Party primary for the 3rd Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton is retiring.

If the full committee accepts the recommendation at its convention on Monday evening, that would set up an inter-county GOP showdown between Kelly of Ocean County and defense industry boss Chris Myers of Medford Township in Burlington County.