William Hurlock, a two-term councilman from Montclair, is giving strong consideration to a bid for the Republican nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district.
His potential candidacy will create some interest, since he’s been able to win local elections in Montclair, one of the most Democratic suburban towns in the state. Hurlock defeated incumbent Rich Murnick by a 57%-43% margin in 2012 and ran unopposed for re-election in 2016.
Sources say that Hurlock has been making phone calls to gauge political and financial support in a bid for Frelinghuysen’s seat.
An attorney, Hurlock was an Associate Independent Counsel during the investigation of Clinton era Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros. He was also part of the Independent Counsel teams that investigated former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy and former Attorney General Ed Meese. Hurlock worked in the Washington office of Rep. Jim Courter and in the national headquarters of President Reagan’s 1984 re-election campaign.
Hurlock’s home is in the 11th district, which would create a contrast with the leading Democratic candidate, Mikie Sherrill, who actually lives in Donald Payne’s district.