Somerset County legislators endorse Lance

There are five Somerset County residents running for congress in the seventh district, but the county’s three native legislators aren’t endorsing any of them.

On Monday, state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman, Assemblyman Peter Biondi and Assemblywoman Denise Coyle will endorse State Sen. Leonard Lance, a Hunterdon County resident, for congress.

A press release from Lance announced that he would a press conference with the 16th district legislators on Monday at the Somerset County Courthouse, but did not specify why. Reached for comment, Bateman said that they were endorsing Lance.

“We’re going to throw our support behind Leonard because we think he has the best chance of winning in November,” said Bateman. “We have a number of good candidates, but this is going to be a high profile race – a lot of money spent on both sides.”

Running for the seat from Somerset County are Kate Whitman, Victor Sordillo, Chris Venis, Michael Hsing and Tom Roughneen.

“I explained to Kate (Whitman) that I think she’s a good candidate, but I just think that with Leonard’s experience in a tough race, and Linda Stender came close two years ago, I think we need a veteran like Leonard Lance,” said Bateman.

Whitman could not be reached for comment, but issued a press release yesterday listing Somerset County endorsements that included County Clerk Brett Radi and Freeholder Rick Fontana.

Bateman said that Somerset County Republican Chairman Dale Florio remains neutral. The county will have a convention late next month or early in April to vote on who it will formally endorse.

Venis said that the endorsements were not unexpected, and that they won’t matter much to the county committee.

“When you’re in such an intimate setting like the county convention process, it doesn’t carry a lot of weight because county committee members are more independent,” he said. “There is a streak of independence in Somerset County.”

Venis said he has no hard feelings.

“That’s part of the process," he said. “We’re all big boys and big girls.”