Toms River resident Joseph Rullo is about the longest of long shots for the 3rd District Republican congressional nomination, but he doesn’t see it that way.

“I’m the frontrunner in Ocean County.  Our name recognition polls are showing in excess of 90%-10%,” he said.  “I absolutely am in for the long haul.”

That poll wasn’t the product of a professional pollster, but of Rullo’s own phone calls to his list of registered voters.  The solar energy company owner who once ran for freeholder as a Democrat said he’s made about 2,000 calls already. 

With the withdrawal of Toms River Councilman Maurice “Mo” Hill from the race and his endorsement of Runyan, the Ocean County Republican Committee and its Burlington and Camden County counterparts have all but formally endorsed former NFL star Jon Runyan as the Republican to run against U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Chery Hill).

“Just the people I spoke to, I asked them if they know who Jon Runyan is.  They don’t know who he is,” said Rullo, who describes himself as “the brokest politician” in the area and says he’ll beat Runyan “hand down” by a margin of 60% to 40%.

Rullo plans to speak at tonight’s Camden County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, where Runyan is expected to make his public debut as a candidate.