Steve Lonegan, the outspoken Republican who mounted an unsuccessful Senate campaign in New Jersey against Cory Booker (D) last year, is back.
Lonegan told the Star-Ledger on Friday he intends to run for the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Jon Runyan (R) in the state’s 3rd Congressional District.
“I have the hottest donor list in the country. My name ID there is over 90 percent. I have a terrific campaign team that’s ready to rock, is experienced and seasoned,” Lonegan told the newspaper. “I have coordinators in every town in the district, in every church and synagogue.”
Lonegan currently lives at least 70 miles away from the 3rd District in the borough of Bogota, N.J., where he served as mayor for three terms, ending in 2007. However, he confirmed to the Star-Ledger that he’s closing on a house in the district. He said he doesn’t expect his status as a new arrival to hinder his chances.
“Over the past decade or more, I’ve spent an awful lot of time in Ocean and Burlington. I’ve had a strong presence there. I performed very well. I’ll be living there a year before I even get sworn in,” said Lonegan. “By October that’s old news.”
In addition to his Senate bid last year, Lonegan has previously run two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns. He also lost a House race to former Rep. Steve Rothman (D) in 1998.
