Add three more candidates to the list of those seeking the U.S. House being vacated by retiring Rep. Frank LoBiondo.
Brian Fitzherbert of Somers Point, is seeking the Republican nomination and Sean Thom of Millville and Will Cunningham of Vineland are going for the Democratic nod.
Fitzherbert is the second Republican to enter the race, joining former FBI agent Robert Turkavage of Brigantine, a two-time unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senate.
While Turkavage said he would have joined LoBiondo in opposing the Republican tax bill, which gutted the federal deduction for state and local taxes, and voting against the GOP health care legislation that would have left 23 million more Americans without insurance, Fitzherbert supports both the tax legislation and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
"The solution is not more government regulation, taxation, and legislative mandates; it is economic competition and accountability," Fitzherbert said in announcing his candidacy.
Fitzherbert is a businessman, engineer and project manager in the defense and aerospace industry.
Thom, a school administrator, and Cunningham, a congressional committee counsel, are running for the Democratic nomination against state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, and retired teacher Tanzie Youngblood of Woodwich.
The Cook Political Report, a Washington-based publication that tracks congressional races, calls the contest a toss-up.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.