State Sen. Christopher Connors (R-Lacey) is expected to announce -- possibly as early as next week -- that he will not seek the Republican nomination for Congress in District 3.  Connors was the first choice of Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, but has never seemed excited about the prospect of going to Washington.  That might leave retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Maurice "Mo" Hill, a Toms River Ward Councilman, as the Ocean County Republican organization candidate, unless Gilmore decides to go with ex-NFL player Jon Runyan.  

Runyan's best shot at Gilmore's support, some Republican say, is an early demonstration of fundraising prowess.  The freshman Democratic incumbent, John Adler (D-Cherry Hill) is a prodigious fundraiser who has already amassed a war chest of more than $1 million.  In a district that GOP Gov.-elect Christopher Christie won by seventeen percentage points, Adler's biggest asset is his ability to raise money; if Runyan, the 6'7, 330 Lb. former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle, can show that he can raise just as much as the South Jersey Democrat, watch some national pundits who analyze House races to move New Jersey 3 to the toss-up list quickly.