John Adler

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore met with ex-Eagles tackle Jon Runyan yesterday, who told him that he is "strongly leaning" toward running.

But Gilmore, who said he had a "nice conversation" with Runyan, is not sold on him as the candidate to take on freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill). 

"This is nowhere near being over at this point," said Gilmore.  "As a professional football player there's some name recognition. On the other hand, we don't know much about his background.  He's never held elected office, never run for office.  We don't know how he would handle a situation and a campaign," said Gilmore. 

Gilmore is upfront about who his favorite potential candidate is: state Sen. Chris Connors (R-Lacey Twp), who already represents roughly half the congressional district in the legislature.  Connors could not be reached for comment, but he told the Asbury Park Press yesterday that he is "not likely" to run. 

If Runyan decides to run, he will likely to have the full support of the Republicans from Burlington County, which makes up a roughly equal portion of the congressional district as Ocean County.  But even if Connors is out of the picture, Gilmore thinks a number of other candidates deserve consideration, including Toms River Councilman Maurice Hill and former Virginia "Ginny" Haines, a former assemblywoman and state lottery commissioner.   

"I don't want those comments to be taken as being opposed to Runyan, because I'm not," said Gilmore.  "He's a candidate that brings certain attributes and we have other candidates that bring other attributes." 

Gilmore does not believe that the process is already spiraling towards a primary like in 2008, when the eventual nominee, Christopher Myers, had to spend half a million dollars that Republicans think could have been better spent against Adler in the general election.

But what if the two county parties are unable to agree on a candidate?

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Top Row: Jon Runyan, Brian Propp and Althea Gibson; Bottom Row: Bill Bradley, Al Leiter, and Phil McConkey

News of ex-Eagles tackle Jon Runyan's interest in running for Congress in the 3rd District brought about some excitement in Republican circles, but it was not universal. 

One South Jersey Republican, skeptical about celebrity candidates, kept his response to two words: Brian Propp.

Propp, who played fifteen seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, was recruited by state Sen. Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) to run for State Assembly in her district as a Republican in 2007.  Propp was a promising pick, but buzz about competing down-ticket in the heavily Democratic district fizzled out, and ultimately he and his running mate, Nancy Griffin, did not come close to unseating incumbents Herb Conaway (D-Delanco) and Jack Conners (D-Pennsauken). 

But Propp is only the latest example of professional athletes from the Garden State who ran for office.  While pro athletes who choose to run start out with name recognition that candidates from more traditional backgrounds typically have to spend years building up, their fame is by no means a ticket to a high office. 

In 1977, the late tennis great Althea Gibson - the first black woman to win a Grand Slam tournament - lost a state senate bid in a three-way primary against Frank Dodd  -- who was running on a slate with then-Assemblyman and now Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) -- and then-Assemblyman Eldridge Hawkins. 

In 1990, former New York Giant Phil McConkey came in second in a three-way Republican primary for Congress, losing to Dick Zimmer but beating Rodney Frelinghuysen. 

There have also been flirtations, like when Republicans attempted to recruit Ronald "Jaws" Jaworski - who played with the Eagles in the 1970's and 80's - to run against Rob Andrews in the early 1990s.  And former Major League all-star pitcher Al Leiter's name repeatedly pop up as a potential candidate, even though the Toms River native currently lives in Florida.      

But there is one obvious success story: Bill Bradley, the New York Knick and Rhodes Scholar who became a three-term Democratic senator.

U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) seems a little worried about the potential fundraising abilities of former NFL player Jon Runyan, who is exploring a bid to run against him for the third district congressional seat next year.  In an interview with Fox29 this morning, Adler said that the former Philadelphia Eagles star could “write a big check to help buy an election.”

“He could spend a lot of money. That would be a factor with elections,” Adler said.  “We’ve seen that in New Jersey in the past, Jon Corzine did it a couple of times.”

Sources say that Runyan has now reached out to the three Republican County Chairmen in the district to discuss his potential candidacy. 

WEST WINDSOR - At a town hall meeting tonight in front of a crowd of supporters, detractors and agitators, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell Twp.) defended his decision to vote in favor of healthcare reform legislation that Saturday passed in the House by a margin of 220-215. 

"The healthcare bill that passed requires standards of private employers, improves Medicare, and adds assistance healthcare coverage for almost all Americans," Holt, one of seven Democratic congressmen from New Jersey to vote in favor of the legislation, standing onstage in the Grover Middle School.

All five Republican congressmen from New Jersey voted against the bill, along with U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), the lone Democrat to cut from his party on the controversial bill.

"I'm very committed to a public option - a publicly administered government operated insurance policy - in addition to preserving an array of policies that currently exist," said Holt, who next year faces a challenge from GOP Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre, who opposes a public option.

Just in case you're interested: Republican Christopher Christie won New Jersey's third congressional district by 35,947 votes over Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, 116,911 to 80,964.  Last year, Democrat John Adler won the third district House seat by 13,268 votes, 52%-48%, the first Democrat  to carry the seat since 1884.

South Jersey Republicans seem genuinely excited that Jon Runyan, the 6'7, 330 lb. former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle, is considering a bid for Congress against freshman Democrat John Adler next year.  "Our great country is headed in the wrong direction, and it's clearer every day that career politicians are incapable of solving the problems we face," Runyan said in a statement released today.  

Runyan greatest obstacle to winning the Republican nomination in District 3 could be Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, who became the most powerful party leader in the state last week when Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie won Ocean County by 70,000 votes.  Gilmore has been anxious to see an Ocean County candidate in the race; GOP sources say he might want State Sen. Christopher Connors (R-Lacey) to run.

Adler won the seat in 2008 after twelve-term Republican Jim Saxton (R-Mount Holly) retired.  He beat Medford Mayor Christopher Myers 52%-48% to become the first Democrat to win the seat since 1884.

When another famous ex-football player, Jack Kemp, first ran for Congress in 1969, he told a reporter: "Pro football gave me a good sense of perspective to enter politics: I'd already been booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded and hung in effigy."  If Runyan wins, he would join former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Former NFL star Jon Runyan says he's considering a challenge to U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) next year.

Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jon Runyan confirmed today that he’s interested in running for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District.

“I am seriously considering becoming a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District.  Our great country is headed in the wrong direction, and it’s clearer every day that career politicians are incapable of solving the problems we face,” he said in a statement issued this afternoon.  “I am grateful for the tremendous support and encouragement I have received while talking to people throughout South Jersey about running for Congress and I look forward to having more to say on this subject in the weeks ahead.”

The statement was sent out by Burlington County Republican consultant Chris Russell.

The effort by Republicans to recruit the former tackle to run against freshman incumbent John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) was first reported by PolitickerNJ.com yesterday.

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Former NFL star Jon Runyan is a possible candidate for Congress against Jon Adler next year.

Now that the gubernatorial election is over, Republicans in Burlington, Ocean and Camden Counties are starting to focus on recruiting someone to take on freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) next year. 

There is a deep bench of potential candidates, but some Republicans have one in mind who could clear the field: Philadelphia Eagles legend Jon Runyan, a Mount Laurel resident.

Sources tell PolitickerNJ.com that Assemblywoman Dawn Addiego (R-Evesham) - who knows Runyan because their children attend school together - has talked to him about running.  Runyan, who is not currently active in the NFL but has not retired, has not ruled out a run.  It is unclear, however, how serious the prospect is.

Reached for comment by PolitickerNJ.com, Addiego said "I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss that right now."

The leading contender of the more conventional candidates to take on Adler is state Sen. Christopher Connors (R-Lacey Twp.).  A little further down the shortlist is Assemblyman Scott Rudder (R-Medford), Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (R-Little Egg Harbor), Toms River Councilman Moe Hill and former Assemblywoman Virginia "Ginny" Haines.  One source said Lumberton Committeeman Patrick Delany has expressed interest.

U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) is in a tight squeeze between left and right. 

The freshman congressman's voting record so far is not all that different from his Republican predecessor, Jim Saxton - a moderate Republican.  But his opposition to the health care bill and his amendment that loosened auditing regulations for smaller corporations - seen by consumer advocates as weakening the Sarbanes-Oxley law -- have drawn the ire of progressives, some of whom staffed his campaign last year.

Republican leaders in Adler's district, on the other hand, believe that he's pulling the moderate card in his first term only to shift left once his incumbent status is more secured.

Jay Lassiter, a South Jersey Democratic activist who was the Adler campaign's new media director, sees Adler's voting record as preserving the area's status quo in representation - minus the seniority.

"The new Adler votes a lot like Saxton and [state Sen. James] Beach votes a lot like the old Adler," said Lassiter.  "Which would be fine if we didn't lose all that tenure in the process."