VINELAND, N.J. – At least in terms of endorsements?
The Republican primary in New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District is shaping up to be a two-way battle between former LD1 Assemblyman Sam Fiocchi and Indian American businessman Hirsh Singh.
On Tuesday, Fiocchi’s campaign dropped a list which includes South Jersey Republican figures as well as out-of-district Assembly colleagues from his brief tenure in Trenton before losing a bid for reelection in 2015.
“I’m proud to have earned the support of those who have witnessed my work as a legislator,” Fiocchi said. “These public officials know I’ve always worked hard for my constituents and fought for the interests of those I was elected to represent.”
Fiocchi’s endorsers are below:
Assemblyman Anthony Bucco
Assemblyman Robert Auth
Assemblyman Erik Peterson
Assemblyman John DiMaio
Former Assemblywoman Donna Simon
Former Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini
Cape May County Freeholder Director Jerry Thorton
Cape May County Freeholder Jeffrey Pierson
Salem County Freeholder Ben Laury
Vineland Mayor Anthony Fanucci
Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery
Hammonton Councilman Michael Torrissi, Jr.
Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi
Stone Harbor Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour
Deerfield Township Deputy Mayor Rudy Danna
Salem County State Committeeman Mike Mulligan
Cape May County is heavily represented on Fiocchi’s list; the deep red shore county’s party backed Fiocchi, its former state legislator, and the county may comprise around 20% of the June primary vote total.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Atlantic County Freeholder Chairman Frank D. Formica, Freeholder James A. Bertino, and Freeholder Maureen Kern formally threw their support behind their county party’s endorsed candidate: Hirsh Singh.
“Hirsh is born and bred in Atlantic County, he has Atlantic County values, and he loves Atlantic County,” said Formica. “He is committed to our future and to serving the needs of Atlantic County in Congress so I’m proud to endorse him and run with him in 2018.”
Atlantic is arguably the larger prize with somewhere between 30% and 40% of the June primary electorate coming out of the former ‘Boardwalk Empire’ county. If he can “hold the line” here? Then he doesn’t need to over-perform in the rest of the sprawling, largely rural South Jersey district represented by the retiring Frank LoBiondo to win the GOP nomination.
Two other NJ-02 candidates are still in the hunt: Robert Turkavage, a former FBI agent who won Cumberland County’s support but then missed the deadline to adopt the slogan and Seth Grossman, an activist and attorney without any institutional support who’s running with U.S. Senate anti-Hugin rebel Brian Goldberg.
–
