Christopher Myers

John Adler has raised nearly $2 million so far in his bid to win election to the U.S. House of Representatives. His GOP rival, Medford Mayor Christopher Myers, is not expected to exceed $500,000 when he files his second quarter report this month.  That's a huge advantage for Adler, who seeks to become the first Democrat to win this House seat since Thomas Ferrell in 1882.

Democrat: If Frank Lautenberg wins re-election, he will become the first five-term United States Senator in New Jersey history. But to become the Democratic nominee in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican to the United States Senate since 1972, Lautenberg must first win a bitter primary contest against Rob Andrews, a ten-term Congressman from South Jersey who his 34 years his junior. The race is very much about Lautenberg’s age (84) – the controversy about the debates is a metaphor for the “Lautenberg is too old” campaign – and about Andrews’ record on Iraq (perhaps a little hawkish for some New Jersey Democrats). Lautenberg has more money and organizational support, although Andrews is competitive in the fundraising area and has added a few key endorsements (though not organization lines) in Central and North Jersey, and some important labor backing. Lautenberg has never been passive when it comes to political campaigns, and his TV commercials are hard-hitting. He needs to get through the next couple of weeks without a mistake that might highlight his age – clearly the reason he’d rather suffer news reports that he won’t debate than one about a stumble. Leans Lautenberg

Republican: The good news is that the GOP field has settled down -- it’s been almost a month since a new Republican candidate entered the race for the United States Senate; the bad news is that the three contenders – former Rep. Dick Zimmer, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin – are having trouble raising money and diverting attention from the hot Democratic primary. With just a few weeks to go, Republican voters still don’t know who much about the candidates. The GOP primary is a contest between Zimmer and Pennacchio – and not Sabrin, the leader of Ron Paul’s New Jersey campaign; both have several important organization lines. Zimmer, who had been a prodigious fundraiser when he served in Congress in the 1990’s, needs to raise money quickly to secure the chance to run in the general election. Pennacchio needs to win a huge margin in his home county, Morris, which produces more votes in a Republican primary than any other county in the state. Toss-Up.

Democrats are almost giddy over the increasingly divisive primary in New Jersey’s third congressional district, where Republicans Christopher Myers and Jack Kelly – each with the support of one major county GOP organization and with virtually the same amount of money – are likely increasing their negatives as they beat up on their opponents.  That’s good news for Democrat John Adler, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, who has no primary opponent and over $1 million in his warchest as he seeks to win a seat the Republicans have held continuously since Thomas Ferrell lost re-election in 1884.

The Republican candidates running for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton – Chris Myers, Jack Kelly and Justin Murphy --  will debate this weekend on New Jersey Network’s On the Record with Jim Hooker.  Sunday at 9AM and 11AM, and Monday at 6:30 AM.

Democratic Rep. Steve Rothman is soliciting GOP congressional candidate Christopher Myers for a contribution to his re-election campaign. Noting that Myers said he wrote a $500 personal check to Sen. Frank Lautenberg's re-election campaign because they share similar views on Israel. Rothman says he also has a strong record supporting Israel.

Expect Christopher Myers’ $500 personal check to Frank Lautenberg’s 2008 re-election campaign to become an issue in the Republican primary for Congress in the third district.  Myers wrote the check last year, before Jim Saxton announced that he was retiring – presumably in his capacity as a Lockheed-Martin Vice President.  But what was Myers thinking? Even last year, he was a Republican elected official (the Deputy Mayor of Medford) and had to know this contribution would be used against him in the future.

John Adler’s fundraising numbers are impressive: he’s brought in nearly $1.2 million so far as the Democratic candidate for an open congressional seat that has been held by the Republicans since 1882.  This kind of early fundraising success will help Adler grow his warchest exponentially as he competes in one of the nation’s premier House races – the fight for Jim Saxton’s seat.  Adler is expected to be unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman John Adler has raised $1,159,310 for his congressional campaign, including $529,320 during the first quarter of 2008 – with nearly 75% of his contributions coming from New Jersey residents. Adler is the presumptive Democratic nominee on one of the nation’s most hotly-contested House races, District 3, where twelve-term Republican Congressman Jim Saxton is retiring.

GOP congressional candidate Jack Kelly has ticked off the man he wants to replace by suggesting in a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board meeting that retiring twelve-term Republican Congressman Jim Saxton is interfering in the primary campaign.  Saxton says Kelly’s charge is “borderline absurd.”