Singh Wins Establishment Backing, But Can he Win Some Votes at the Shore This Time Around?

Phil Stilton

ATLANTIC CITY-Engineer Hirsh Singh has won the backing of the Ocean County, Monmouth County and Atlantic County GOP establishments, but in June, he’ll be hoping for the support of the shore’s Republican voters he wasn’t able to get in the 2017 Gubernatorial Primary.

Hirsh Singh

This time around, Singh is hoping to be the Republican nominee for Congress in New Jersey’s second congressional district, securing three party nominations that eluded him last year.

In 2017, Singh received just 2,895 votes in Ocean County, 1,912 in Monmouth County, 966 in Atlantic County and 389 in Cape May County.  He finished thousands of votes behind Kim Guadagno and Jack Ciatarelli in all contests statewide, getting just 10% of the Republican vote.   This year, he’ll be facing a crowded field for votes in Ocean, Cape May, Atlantic, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland and Burlington Counties.

Each of the non-shore county GOP establishment conventions nominated different candidates to represent the party.


Singh said he worked hard lobbying party delegates to secure the nomination votes in the four shore counties.


Singh spent nearly one million dollars in his 2017 campaign, spending roughly $50 per vote statewide during the process, including a $300,000 commercial spot that yielded few votes.

In contrast, his local opponent Joseph Rullo spent about 50 cents per vote, raising only $10,000.

One of Singh’s newest opponents on the other hand, stayed away from the party’s recent nominating conventions all together but is still reaping the rewards from a recent outing with the people in his district, Mark McGovern.

McGovern who recently made headlines in Ocean County for his support of two school children who were suspended by the Lacey School District for posting photos of themselves at a local gun range today wished Singh good luck.

McGovern didn’t receive any party backing and apparently, it doesn’t bother him or his supporters.

Mark McGovern

“From what I’ve heard, Atlantic County’s Convention was a hoot! Looks like I’ll be running the primary against Hirsh. Good luck young man,” McGovern said.

As far as the importance of securing the local Republican Party nominations, McGovern wasn’t worried about that either.

The conventions are only to pick who gets placed in the 1st position in that county,” he said. “My crew will find me, no matter where I am in the pecking order.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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