Zack Mullock gets Dem nod to challenge Jeff Van Drew in NJ-2
Cape May mayor had tacit support from national Dems against three primary foes
Zack Mullock, the mayor of the city of Cape May, has won the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 2nd district, the New Jersey Globe projects, and will challenge Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) in a race that could represent a reach opportunity for Democrats this year.
As of 10:24 p.m. and with the vast majority of votes counted, Mullock has 40% of the vote; civil rights attorney and former detective Tim Alexander has 28%, former USAID official Bayly Winder has 22%, and local activist Terri Reese has 11%.
Beating Van Drew, a former Democrat who defected to the GOP in 2019 and is now a loyal ally of President Donald Trump, will be a challenging task – one that will likely require more involvement from state and national Democrats than the district got in 2022 and 2024, when it was roundly ignored by both parties.
The district, which covers a broad swath of South Jersey, votes reliably for Republicans, even…