ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Brian Fitzherbert is running for Congress in 2020.
A 30-something engineer out of Somers Point (Atlantic County), Fitzherbert sought public office for the first time in 2018 when his campaign succumbed to a signature challenge in the 2nd Congressional District primary contest; Fitzherbert initially won the Gloucester County GOP’s endorsement.
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Fitzherbert has since impressed some party leaders with his energetic leadership of the Atlantic County Young Republicans.
On Tuesday, Fitzherbert updated his Facebook cover photo to reflect his decision.
He’ll have company. David Richter – a well-heeled successful businessman from Princeton with roots in the district’s Burlington County section – reportedly formed an exploratory committee to seek the GOP nomination back in the spring. The 2018 nominee Seth Grossman (who lost formal party support over controversial statements concerning race and other topics but still managed to mount a close contest in the general) is also expected to run again.
Democrat freshman incumbent Jeff Van Drew is considered one of the country’s most vulnerable 2020 Democrats after overcoming the under-capitalized Grossman campaign by just 6.4% in 2018. Trump carried the district in 2016 and expected to do so again in 2020, so Van Drew has angered members of his own party by putting forth a centrist front in D.C. while also bending over backwards to at least appear Trump-friendly.
Sprawling NJ-02 covers most of South Jersey including Salem, Atlantic, Cumberland and Cape May counties as well as portions of Gloucester, Camden and Burlington counties.
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