NJ-07: 'Stop Israel's Genocide' candidate survives Dem petition challenge

A candidate running under the banner of “Stop Israel’s Genocide” in New Jersey’s 7th congressional district will be allowed to remain on the ballot after a challenge from a former local Democratic chairwoman fell short.

Seamus Patrick O’Toole filed to run for the 7th district, where GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) and Democrat Rebecca Bennett are locked in New Jersey’s most competitive House race, with 299 signatures, 49 more than he needed. Michele Kidd, who led the Hillsborough Democrats until this year, filed a challenge asserting that 55 of the signatures were invalid.

Seventeen of those signatures were on one particular signature sheet that Kidd argued was defective due to issues with its circulator. O’Toole, however, was able to call in that circulator to testify and explain the petition’s flaws; Administrative Law Judge Kimberly Holmes found her testimony to be credible and allowed the 17 challenged signatures to stand.

That put O’Toole back above the 250-signature threshold, and Kidd’s attorneys subsequently withdrew the challenge.



https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/stop-israels-genocide-nj-7-candidate-survives-dem-petition-challenge/