Phil Rizzo, who made it official today that he’s running for Congress in CD-7, not CD-11, had this to say about Tom Kean Jr., the perceived frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

“Tom Kean Jr. is going to do everything he can to get me to drop out of this race, spread lies and slander me through his allies in the elitist media.”

Actually, the reverse is probably true. Kean is going to do everything he can to keep Rizzo in the race.

This is not a hard one to analyze.

Kean, who lost a close race in 2020 to Tom Malinowski, gave up his state Senate seat to concentrate on another run for Congress. Through his family heritage and political reality of the day (House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy attended his kickoff) Kean is the anointed candidate. Officially, at least.

But he still needs to win the primary.

While the new district map was drawn by Democrats, CD-7 has become more favorable to Republicans. The district has picked up Republican terrain in Warren and Sussex counties and has lost such strong Democratic towns as Millburn and Dover.

That is why Rizzo wants to run in CD-7. He previously planned to run in CD-11, where he lives (Harding Township).

Rizzo, naturally, is not the only person to realize the district has become more Republican.

Also entering the race in the wake of the new map are Assemblyman Erik Peterson of Hunterdon County and John Flora, the mayor of Fredon in Sussex. Both are more ideologically right wing than Kean. Rizzo makes three people essentially vying for the same base. That’s going to benefit Kean.

Rizzo should be well aware of this phenomenon.

When he ran for governor last year, he and fellow right winger Hirsh Singh split the conservative primary vote, allowing Jack Ciattarelli to win with about 50 percent of the total.

So there is no way Kean is going to try to force Rizzo out of the race. The more right wingers in the race, the better for Kean.

In announcing his district switch, Rizzo goes after Kean, calling him a “hack” who expects the congressional seat to be given to him.

Touching on last year’s campaign, Rizzo with great bravado said “the establishment was put on notice by patriots from every corner of New Jersey.”

One man who has to like what he sees among Republicans is Malinowski, who with great literary flavor announced his reelection bid this week by quoting Shakespeare – “Once more unto the breach, dear friends.”

“Congratulations to Tom Kean Jr. and his insider allies who thought they could clear the field – they now have multiple serious primary challengers in Assemblyman Erik Peterson and former gubernatorial candidate Phil Rizzo. This primary is set to become a far-right scramble – will Kean be able to keep up?” said DCCC Spokesman James Singer.