It was the biggest political upset in the 2021 election. Not only did an unknown, under-funded truck driver win just any seat in the New Jersey state Senate—Edward Durr ousted Steve Sweeney, the longest serving president of the state Senate in the Garden State’s history. With less than $200, Durr, a Republican, sent the prominent Democrat packing.
Durr’s tenure in the state Senate didn’t last long. He was ousted after only one term by former Assemblyman John Burzichelli, but in his farewell speech, he promised to be back, and new reports suggest that time has come.
Former State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan) is expected to announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor on Monday evening at a church in Egg Harbor Township.
The onetime giant slayer who unseated Senate President Steve Sweeney in 2021 will become the third announced Republican candidate, joining State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-Somerville). NJ 101.5 radio host Bill Spadea is also expected to run. [...]
Supporters are circulating an invitation to attend a “surprise announcement” at the New Life Assembly; speakers include former Atlantic County Freeholder Seth Grossman and a group of family values advocates. In addition to Durr, the invite also includes a surprise speaker who is a “fierce advocate for children and parents.”
He said he’s a conservative joining a growing moderate field. (New Jersey Globe)
“New Jersey needs a blue-collar, hard-working conservative, and I’m just the guy for the job,” Durr said, according to the New Jersey Globe. “Under Democrat rule, our budgets have ballooned, our school curriculums have been corrupted, and life has gotten more and more expensive. It’s time to send in a truck driver to turn our state around.”
Politico considers whether he could actually win the primary.
He’s already pretty well-known in conservative circles and has a compelling story as a giant slayer. So far, you have three main names circulating for the Republican nomination for governor, declared and undeclared: Jack Ciattarelli, Jon Bramnick and Bill Spadea. Ciattarelli and Bramnick are running in the more mainstream lane, or at least what was mainstream pre-Trump. Spadea is running in the ultra-Maga far-right Tucker Carlson-light lane. If Spadea does wind up declaring, Durr would probably be more likely to appeal to his voters than the other two. (Politico New Jersey Playbook)
Even if he were victorious, whether he could pull off a win in the general election is another matter. We'll have to wait and see how this political comeback story turns out.
