Justin Murphy

GOP congressional candidate Christopher Myers won endorsements from the five Republicans on the Tabernacle Township Committee – significant because one of Myers’ primary rivals, Justin Murphy, served with three of the local officials during his three years as Township Committeeman and Tabernacle Deputy Mayor. Mayor Kim Brown and Township Committeemen Joe Yates, Richard Franzen, Kenneth Baranowski and Noble McNaughton announced their support of Myers on Friday.

They're not state Senators or gubernatorial offspring. They don't come from political dynasties and don't have powerful county organizations backing them.

But in the third and seventh congressional districts, there are eight lower-profile Republican candidates, considered second-tier to the likes of state Sen. Leonard Lance, Kate Whitman, Medford Mayor Chris Myers and Ocean County Freeholder Director Jack Kelly. And those candidates want to stress that even without a famous name or a powerful county organization behind them, they can have an impact on these races.

One of the longest shot candidates on the ballot in either district is Suzanne Penna, a 37-year-old nursing student from Bayville who's only been involved in politics for the last year and a half. It won't be her first time facing Kelly in a primary.

Medford Mayor Chris MyersAs part of his bid to capture his party’s nomination for the 3rd Congressional District, Medford Mayor Chris Myers on Monday night accepted the endorsement of the Burlington County Republican Party.

"What I offer is my background as a businessman," Myers, 42, an executive with Lockheed Martin, said as a counterpoint to Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly’s boast last week that Kelly has more experience than Myers as a freeholder serving half the 3rd Congressional District.

"I’ve met a payroll, and we’ve created 2,000 jobs in this area in four and a half years," answered Myers in an interview with PolitickerNJ.com after he addressed the Republican crowd assembled at the Riverton Country Club. "I know how to cut budgets. As mayor of Medford I’ve cut spending."

The screening committee for the Burlington County Republican Organization interviewed 3rd district Congressional candidates Chris Myers and Jack Kelly today at party headquarters in Mount Holly.

The committee also heard from U.S. Senate candidates Anne Estabrook, state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, and Murray Sabrin; six county clerk candidates; and eight freeholder candidates.

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.