Tayfun Selen talks about coming to the U.S. with no money, getting a job pumping gas, eventually becoming a CPA and then volunteering to serve on the zoning board of adjustment in Chatham Township.

A few years later, he was on the township committee, was chosen mayor and last year, the Turkish-born Selen became a Morris County freeholder.

His “rags to riches” story is not unique, but that doesn’t make it any less compelling or significant.

But will it help make him a congressman?

Selen is the latest Republican to want a shot at Democrat Mikie Sherrill in CD-11.

He announced his candidacy this week with a video in which he said America was at a “crossroad.” And that it must choose capitalism over socialism. To emphasize what Selen thinks Republicans should fear, there was the requisite clip of AOC.

All this is what you’d expect a Republican to say.

More interesting at this time are the number of Republicans who say they want to take on Sherrill in about 14-plus months.

Three others already have said they are running. They are Tom Toomey, a businessman, Robert Kovic, a lawyer, and Hillery Brotschol, a screenwriter.

None of them would seem to have especially high profiles in the Morris-centric district. CD-11 also includes parts of Essex, Passaic and Sussex counties.

As a Morris elected official, Selen would appear to have an advantage.

But then there’s Rosemary Becchi, who ran last year.

She has certainly been keeping herself politically visible through an organization she started – Jersey 1st.

Just recently, Jersey 1st announced its support of a lawsuit to stop the state’s masks in schools mandate.

If she runs, Becchi would make five candidates.

This interest, obviously, is a good sign for Republicans. The more candidates, the more average voters are interested – at least in theory.

Still, the end game is not going to be easy. CD-11, which was once solidly-Republican, now has about 9,000 more registered Democrats.

And it may become more Democratic after redistricting.

For the record, Sherrill won re-election last fall by about 30,000 votes.