Athlete Jon Runyan officially enters congressional race

Declaring his campaign kickoff "an awesome night, a longly anticipated one," former Eagles offensive lineman Jon Runyan promised to rein in government spending and cut taxes if elected to the U.S. House in one of the nation's most competitive races.

Before a crowd of almost 400 loyal Republicans at the Westin Hotel in Mount Laurel, he said he would be a "commonsense conservative" who would take to Washington the strong work ethic that he showed on the football field and learned from his autoworker father.

Runyan, 36, has organizational Republican support in the Third District, which runs through Burlington and Ocean Counties and includes Cherry Hill in Camden County, making him the front-runner in the race to face Democratic freshman Rep. John Adler in the fall.

Democrats have characterized Runyan as ill-prepared to run for the House, and he gave his answer to them last night.

"Whoever said you needed to be a lifetime politician to be a congressman?" he said to laughter. "I really believe I'm qualified because I care."

Signaling the attacks voters are likely to hear on the campaign trail, Runyan said he would "expose John Adler for his failed record in Trenton and make him accountable for it."

Adler was a state senator between 1992 and 2008, when he won the open House seat in the traditionally Republican district.

Adler's campaign said he had been independent in the Statehouse, sometimes breaking ranks with the Democrats.

"As John Adler is trying to run as a moderate. Look at his voting record: His first vote as a congressman was to elect Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House," Runyan said in a speech that lasted less than 20 minutes.

Adler's spokeswoman Kathryn Prael said "he has always been independent." In the House, she said, he has voted with his party 84 percent of the time.

Along with other freshman Democrats facing tough races, Adler voted against an earlier version of the health-care overhaul pending in Washington. Last night, he announced he would stick to his "no" vote.

Adler was swept into the House in 2008 partly on the coattails of President Obama and hasn't left the campaign trail. He has held dozens of town-hall meetings across the district, which runs from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean.

The district returned to its Republican roots last year when it voted for Gov. Christie over then-Gov. Jon S. Corzine. The changing nature of the district has many analysts watching the race as one of the more volatile in the country. Republicans are expected to gain ground in the House and Senate this year.

But Democrats are fighting back. Democratic State Committee chairman John Wisniewski issued a statement yesterday saying Runyan has ducked reporters while garnering the support of "party bosses and taking advantage of thousands of dollars in tax breaks meant for hardworking farmers."

Democrats plan to attack Runyan as someone who lacks political experience and government knowledge. And they want to raise the issue of his farmland assessment.

Runyan has a lavish home on 25 acres in Mount Laurel. Under the state's farmland assessment program, 20 of those acres are exempted from full property taxes because he uses them as timberland and for grazing four donkeys.

Though he has official GOP support, Runyan is not alone in the June 8 primary. Joseph Rullo, an alternative energy consultant from Toms River, and former Tabernacle Township Committeeman Justin Murphy, now of Medford, have said they are running. Murphy ran in the 2008 Republican primary for this seat, coming in a strong third.

Runyan has yet to report how much is in his campaign account, but he said he would fill through fund-raising events and with some of his own money, if necessary.

Adler has raised $1.4 million so far.

Born in Flint, Mich., Runyan won a football scholarship to the University of Michigan, becoming the first person in his family to attend college.

He started his NFL career with the Houston Oilers, now the Tennessee Titans, and joined the Eagles in 2000. He played for them until an injury sidelined him in 2008.

He finished his career this year as a San Diego Charger. Runyan met his wife, Loretta, a former Houston police officer, while playing for the Oilers. They have three children.