NJ-07: Larsen calls on fellow Lance challenger to drop out

David Larsen

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

David Larsen has challenged Rep. Leonard Lance for multiple consecutive cycles, Save Jerseyans, and always on the grounds of reinvigorating the democratic process by taking the GOP establishment down a peg, and in the strange Trump-centric political environment that is 2016, the repeat challenger has exuded renewed confidence in his public assessments.

But there’s one extra and arguably ironic hitch this year: a second (and third?) challenger, businessman Craig Heard of Roxbury and Right to Work activist York Cook. And while conceding Heard’s interest in the race is “understandable,” Larsen isn’t welcoming the competition.

David Larsen
David Larsen

“It is unfortunate however that Mr. Heard would enter into the Congressional race at such a late juncture. His actions are either one of a neophyte, or possibly a more sinister one of being a ‘Straw Candidate’ of the establishment, attempting to redirect votes from our campaign to limit the damage to Rep. Lance,” complained Larsen in a statement obtained by Save Jersey.

“If Mr. Heard is receiving advise from consulting firms, those firms are obviously only interested in draining him of his finances and the hard earned finances of possible donors. So is there another sinister motive, well time will tell.”

Harsh and hypocritical? Or justifiable concer?

Either way it’s a numbers game.

The incumbent isn’t jumping into the fray and engaging his opponents, focusing instead on public affairs and the Obama Administration’s foreign policy failures with particular zeal. Lance felled Larsen 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 (Lance won by double-digits in every other cycle).

Larsen, a Cruz supporter, clearly views Heard as a potential spoiler. Candidate Heard, for his part, apparently plans to base his own campaign on his professional resume. 

“Congress needs leadership,” explained Heard in his own released statement. “I’ve spent my entire adult life working to earn my success, starting out as a clerk and working my way up to ultimately build a business, create jobs and make a difference in our community. Now I’m ready to bring that record to Congress.”

Stay tuned…

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Correction: An early version of this story stated that David Larsen was a Trump supporter. His campaign manager, King Penna (see below) commented that this was inaccurate. The writer’s confusion stems in part from the fact that Mr. Penna regularly rips his candidate’s endorsed candidate on social media. “Marco Rubio And Ted Cruz are two idiots that are not qualified to be president acting like children on that stage,” Penna opined in a February 25th Facebook post.

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Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8403 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.

6 Comments

  1. I know Craig Heard. He’s an honest and quality guy, a successful businessman, unlike a con artist such as Trump. I don’t believe there should be a challenge to Lance, but if there needed to be; you’ve had your chance, what? Three times now? If there needed to be a challenge, I would wish I lived farther north to help run Craig’s campaign.

  2. The fact that YOU are endorsing Craig Heard tells me all I need to know about him, Jimbo. Another GOPe D0pe…just like you.

  3. Matt please get your facts right.David Larsen is a supporter of Mr Cruz and not Mr Trump..

    read the PolitickerNJ

    Ted Cruz fan and Republican businessman David Larsen of Tewksbury had a very good night last night, while incumbent U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7) must face another day in an irritating holding pattern as his establishment choice for president, Gov. Chris Christie, runs through the New Hampshire Primary.

    Read more at Lance’s Nightmarish Iowa Outcome and Larsen’s Great Night | New Jersey News, Politics, Opinion, and Analysis
    Follow us: @politickernj on Twitter | PolitickerNJ on Facebook

2 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

  1. Lance pledges to help unite the GOP in four-stop campaign kick-off swing | The Save Jersey Blog
  2. Union County GOP gets behind John Kasich, endorses Lance | The Save Jersey Blog

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