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Andrews’s ex-manager says he will run for reelection |
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By Aaron Blake
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Posted: 09/03/08 06:34 PM [ET] |
Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) is set to run for reelection to the House after all, his former Senate campaign chairman said Wednesday.
Andrews said many times during his campaign for Senate that he would not run for reelection if he lost his primary to Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) in June.
Senate campaign chairman Mike Murphy told the Newark Star-Ledger on Wednesday that it was his “very specific understanding” that Andrews would run again.
In an interview with The Hill, Murphy emphasized that he no longer speaks for Andrews, but said he would be “shocked” if Andrews made a different decision.
"Until the secretary of state actually receives the paperwork and Rob says it, it's not official,” Murphy said. “But I have every reason to believe it, based on conversations with people here.”
Andrews’s chief of staff, Bill Caruso, announced Wednesday afternoon that Andrews would be making a “major announcement” on Thursday morning.
Caruso declined to confirm Murphy’s statements.
“Mike Murphy doesn’t work for Congressman Andrews,” Caruso said.
Andrews would be replacing his wife, Camille Andrews, on the ballot. Camille Andrews would have to resign her spot, and the county parties in the district would have to replace her with her husband.
The move is sure to cause some backlash in the New Jersey Democratic establishment, which was already miffed at Andrews for his ill-fated primary challenge to Lautenberg.
Murphy said most of the people he’s spoken to in the south Jersey district wanted Andrews to run again and suggested it wouldn’t be a problem to get him back on the ballot.
Andrews’s announcement is set for 10 a.m. EST in Camden, N.J.
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