New Jersey Republicans Reportedly Back Independent in 8th Congressional District Race

Local Republican leaders in New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District are reportedly backing an independent candidate after the party failed to place a Republican on the primary ballot for the seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Rob Menendez Jr.

The New Jersey Globe reported May 29 that Aristotle Eliopoulos, a Jersey City teacher and union official, filed to run in the race as an independent candidate with support from Republican county chairs in Hudson, Essex, and Union counties. The outlet reported that Eliopoulos is a registered Republican but will appear on the general election ballot without a party affiliation.

The decision came after GOP officials in the district failed to get their original preferred candidate, Jashan Lucas, on the primary ballot. Local Republican leaders are said to have considered a write-in campaign for the Republican primary, but opted against doing so. That left the independent route as a fallback option in a district where Republicans have struggled to compete for decades.

Menendez has since won the Democratic nomination, according to media reports, defeating Mussab Ali in the June 2 primary. Reports on the results also did not indicate that any Republican write-in effort manifested, meaning Republicans will need to rely on Eliopoulos this cycle.

What is happening in New Jersey also fits with a larger pattern this year of major party figures looking more favorably at independents in races where their own party label may be a hard sell, though the circumstances in this instance differ.

The Associated Press reported last month that Democrats in several Republican-leaning states have taken a more favorable view of independent candidates, including in places where the Democratic label is considered a liability. That includes Nebraska, where Democratic Senate nominee Cindy Burbank is expected to step aside in favor of independent Dan Osborn, and Alaska, where some Democrats are looking to independent Bill Hill as a possible challenger to Republican Rep. Nick Begich.

Eliopoulos is not the only non-major party candidate listed for the 8th District general election. A list from the New Jersey Division of Elections includes Craig Honts under the Socialist Workers Party label and Da’Shone Hughey under the We the People label, along with Menendez and Eliopoulos.