Larsen readies for round four with Lance

Leonard Lance (left) and David Larsen (right)

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

NJ-07 Republican voters seem destined to go back to the future this June, Save Jerseyans, with a rematch that’s becoming a district-wide biennial tradition.

Leonard Lance (left) and David Larsen (right)
Leonard Lance (left) and David Larsen (right)

Activist David Larsen of Tewksbury Township will kick-off his fourth primary campaign against Rep. Leonard Lance with a headquarter open house at 215 U.S. Route 22 East in Green Brook, New Jersey this upcoming Saturday, January 16th at 6:00 p.m.

Larsen tightened his margin of loss in the most recent bout, falling to Lance by 8.8-points in a low-turnout and low-energy 2014 midterm cycle without a ticket headliner where the incumbent spent little cash and avoided negative campaigning.

The challenger also lost by better than 20-points in the last presidential cycle match-up. How 2016’s unusual presidential contest will impact the race is anyone’s guess. Presumably, a GOP nomination battle that goes late and makes New Jersey consequential for the first time in decades could theoretically benefit Larsen if a so-called “anti-establishment” candidate is on the ballot. His campaign chair, Morris County-based operative King Penna, is a vocal Trump supporter.

Another wildcard this time around? Lance’s record has also taken on considerable conservative heft in recent years particularly on the health care front, narrowing possible avenues of attack for challengers lacking comparable resources.

“One of the least-reported substantial policy victories in recent years was stopping Obamacare’s insurer bailout through last fall’s CRomnibus bill. Now we can attach a price-tag to that victory: $2.5 billion. Along the way, several stalwarts in Congress did great work in advancing the issue, especially the House Oversight Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. (now-senator) Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.),” proclaimed The Weekly Standard back in October, highlighting the New Jerseyan’s role in the much-discussed risk corridor battle.

Most recently, Lance split from ally Paul Ryan and voted against December’s omnibus package along with NJ-05’s Scott Garrett.

We’ll follow the blow-by-blow and keep you in the loop, folks. As ever.

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Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8621 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

1 Comment

  1. For one who claims to be a responsible blogger and thoughtful “conservative,” you are mind-blowingly ignorant of Lance’s voting record and of the fact that, mirabile dictu, it always skews from liberal to conservative when primary season rolls around.

    You were, are and always will be a GOPe hack, R00ney.

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