David Kurkowski

Jeff Van Drew insists he won’t be a late entrant into the second district House race against Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, a district where Democrats think Joe Biden’s presence at the top of the ticket could help a congressional candidate in Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem counties – where some residents watch Delaware TV.  

Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) isn’t taking his bid for a 15th term for granted, raising $143,300 over the last three months and now has $503,944 cash on hand.  His Democratic challenger, history professor Josh Zeitz, raised $108,101 during the same period.  Zeitz has raised $259,267 so far and has $124,535 in the bank.

Statewide, Zeitz ranks second in challenger fundraising.  Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist running against Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) raised $270,000 last quarter, according to his campaign.  He has raised $585,000 so far, with $258,000 cash on hand.

Most New Jersey challengers are faring poorly in the fundraising game.

South Jersey Republican leaders seem to think that by the time the general election ballots are printed, Cape May City Councilman David Kurkowski won’t be the Democratic candidate for Congress against Frank LoBiondo in the second district.  And LoBiondo, insiders say, seems almost obsessed with the idea that State Sen. Jeff Van Drew will enter the race against him. 

Congressional candidate David Kurkowski (D-Cape May): Campaign photoDemocratic Cape May Councilman David Kurkowski, who's challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Frank LoBiondo in the 2nd Congressional District, is facing the hard reality of the campaign traill.

So far, he estimates, he's spent most 90% of his time fundraising, and expects to make it just past the $100,000 mark by the Federal Election Commission's June 30th deadline.

"It's my first time doing this, and it's quite a learning experience to realize you have to spend so much time fundraising, but it's part of the reality," he said. "If you want this seat, you have to do this job."

Democratic congressional candidate David KurkowskiNational Democrats had pinned their hopes on recruiting state Sen. Jeff Van Drew to take out Republican incumbent Frank LoBiondo in the 2nd Congressional District. When Van Drew declined to run, Democrats settled on Cape May's only Democratic councilman as their candidate.  But the national party opted out of funding his campaign.

Despite the lack of support, Kurkowski insists that he's more than just a warm body.

With little name recognition, few upfront financial resources and a base in one of the less populated areas of New Jersey's geographically largest congressional district, Kurkowski is - for now at least - a long shot.