Christopher Myers

Jack Kelly and Chris Myers, the two leading candidates for the Republicans’ third district congressional nomination, have both indicated that they plan to keep their primary contest gentlemanly despite strong pushes from each of their counties’ Republican organizations.

“What you don’t want to turn this into is us against them,” Kelly, an Ocean County Freeholder, told PolitickerNJ.com in November. “We need to assure them that the needs of the district come first. Which one of us becomes a successful candidate comes second.”

But are the candidates merely paying lip service to civility this early in the race, or will they actually be able to live up to the idea?

If the 1984 primary race for the seat is any indication -- the last time there was a competitive primary in the district and Burlington and Ocean Counties went head-to-head – then yes, the contest may very well remain civil.

“We had a gentleman’s primary,” said retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton, who went on to narrowly win that primary and then serve 12 consecutive terms in the House. “We debated the issues. Ronald Reagan was a theme of the campaign. He was very popular at the time.”

Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly 

Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly today officially entered the race for U.S. Congress, and presented himself as a pro-life, tough on terror, fiscal conservative who would serve the entire 3rd district.

A six-term freeholder running in the half of the 3rd district that has never had a congressman, Kelly said the press would continue to depict the GOP primary war he plans to wage against Medford Mayor Chris Myers as a county versus county showdown.

After staying low key for the last month and a half, Christopher Myers officially announced his congressional candidacy today, representing Burlington County in a potential primary against upcoming primary against Ocean County Freeholder Jack Kelly.

Whoever wins that primary will probably face state Sen. John Adler, the likely Democratic nominee, in November.

U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton was there today to endorse the 42-year-old Lockheed Martin Vice President and newly sworn in Medford Mayor, who in turn pledged to continue Saxton's legacy, emphasizing his fiscal conservatism and strength on environmental and national defense issues. He also stressed decreasing the national dependence on foreign oil.

"I am running for Congress as a ‘Jim Saxton Republican' -- a conservative on taxes and spending, a supporter of the environment and a friend of working men and women," said Myers.

State Sen. John Adler has raised $610,000 for his campaign for Jim Saxton’s seat in Congress and has $580,000 cash on hand, according to a statement released by his campaign.  Adler is seeking to become the first Democrat to win this seat since 1882.  Medford Deputy Mayor Christopher Myers and Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly are seeking the GOP nomination; neither has released fundraising figures through the end of last year.

The unexpected retirement of Republican Reps. Jim Saxton and Mike Ferguson has opened up a wide field of potential congressional candidates, many of whom have spent the last month in fundraising overdrive mode and have already gotten donors to cough up some impressive amounts of cash.

Congressional District 7

In the seventh congressional district, Republicans are lining up to challenge Democrat Linda Stender, who raised close to $2 million last year only to lose to Ferguson by one point. This time, unlike last, she has the full support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, whose Chairman, Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, came to the state in November to endorse and raise money for her and her third district counterpart John Adler.

Stender would not say how much she raised in 2007, but a source close to her said that the campaign has approximately $500,000 in the bank.

Former Tabernacle Township Committeeman Justin Murphy says he will seek the Republican nomination for Congress in the 3rd district, according to a report in the Courier-Post.  The 41-year-old businessman will oppose Medford Deputy Mayor Christopher Myers and Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly for the seat of Rep. Jim Saxton, who is retiring after 24 years in Congress.  The seat has been held by the GOP continuously since 1884.

Former GOP State Chairman David Norcross says he won't seek Jim Saxton's seat

The field of potential Burlington County candidate to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton cleared up today, with Republican National Committeeman David Norcross and Freeholder Aubrey Fenton both removing their names from consideration and throwing their support behind the county’s presumptive favorite candidate, Lockheed Martin Vice President Chris Myers.

Myers, 42, the Deputy Mayor of Medford, is the chosen candidate of Burlington County GOP power broker Glenn Paulsen, and has the tacit approval of Saxton. He now looks almost certain to become that county’s chosen candidate.

Norcross, 64, was considered a top tier potential challenger. A prolific fundraiser, Norcross has a long political resume as a former U.S. Senate candidate and GOP state chairman. He currently serves as co-chair of Mitt Romney’s New Jersey campaign.

Retiring Rep. Jim Saxton won’t make a formal endorsement for the Republican nomination for his successor, but he spent yesterday in Washington with Medford Deputy Mayor Christopher Meyers, a Lockheed Martin executive and the presumptive favorite to be the Burlington County candidate in the race to succeed him.

Saxton met with Myers and took him to offices of the Republican National Congressional Committee yesterday to introduce him around, said Jeff Sagnip, who served as Saxton’s campaign manager in 2006. Saxton, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Myers, a defense contractor who works for the largest employer in South Jersey, have been close friends for years.

As veteran state legislator Diane Allen’s congressional star descended over the 3rd district, an opposing faction in her party inch by inch unveiled what they believe is the tantalizing candidacy of newcomer Christopher Myers, a decorated Gulf War veteran and vice president at Lockheed Martin.

"A real man's man," said an early supporter.

The popular Allen just endured a six-month long re-election campaign in which she fairly beat up the opposition by a 12% margin, but also expended energy and capital in a losing effort to pull in a pair of Assembly running mates.