New Jersey GOP Lands Top-tier Recruit Against Lautenberg

Biotechnology executive John Crowley is expected to enter the New Jersey Senate race against Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) , according to a source with knowledge of his thinking, giving Republicans a candidate with a compelling personal narrative who also has deep pockets to self-finance a campaign.

His pending announcement, which could come as soon as this weekend, will set up a high-profile election year in the Garden State, where Lautenberg is already facing a primary challenge from Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.)

But Crowley has the potential to capture as much of the media spotlight as Lautenberg’s newfound primary contest.

Over the past week, Crowley has been courted to run by prominent Republicans, including the party’s presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sen. John Ensign, also called him several times this week encouraging him to jump in the race.

Crowley initially announced he would not be running, but the full-court press of persuasion helped him change his mind.

Republicans are enthused that Crowley brings a gripping biography to the race. He left his job as a senior executive at Bristol Myers to start his own biomedical company, searching for a medical treatment for two of his children, both of whom have a rare neuromuscular disorder.

In 2001, he sold his startup company for over $130 million, and the new company later developed a treatment for the disease.

His story was the subject of the book "The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million and Bucked the Medical Establishment in a Quest to Save His Children," and the rights have been optioned to a movie studio.
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