Alex Zdan
Alex Zdan (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent New Jersey. He lost in the Republican primary on June 2, 2026.
Biography
Zdan earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Thomas Edison State University and previously attended James Madison University and The College of New Jersey.[1] He worked as a news reporter for News 12 New Jersey and for TV Asia.[2] Zdan also founded the Authentic Leadership for America (ALFA) PAC.[3]
Elections
2026
See also: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2026
United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2026 (June 2 Democratic primary)
United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2026 (June 2 Republican primary)
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. Senate New Jersey
Incumbent Cory Booker (D), Justin Murphy (R), Veronica Fernandez (End the Corruption! Party), Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party), and Eduardo Castillo (D) are running in the general election for U.S. Senate New Jersey on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Cory Booker (D) | |
 | Justin Murphy (R) | |
 | Veronica Fernandez  (End the Corruption! Party) | |
| Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party) | ||
 | Eduardo Castillo (D) (Write-in) | |
| ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Natalie Rivera (Together for NJ Party)
- Justin Maldonado (Independent)
- Michael Misseri (Independent)
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey
Incumbent Cory Booker (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cory Booker | 100.0 | 587,980 |
| Total votes: 587,980 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary
Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey
Justin Murphy (R) defeated Richard Tabor (R), Alex Zdan (R), and Robert Lebovics (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Justin Murphy | 33.4 | 82,272 |
 | Richard Tabor | 29.2 | 71,915 | |
 | Alex Zdan | 26.8 | 66,183 | |
 | Robert Lebovics | 10.7 | 26,280 | |
| Total votes: 246,650 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Natalie Rivera (R)
- David Schmidt (R)
Endorsements
- See also: Our approach to covering endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements and voter guide recommendations. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2024
See also: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2024
General election
General election for U.S. Senate New Jersey
The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate New Jersey on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Andrew Kim (D) | 53.6 | 2,161,491 |
 | Curtis Bashaw (R) | 44.0 | 1,773,589 | |
 | Christina Khalil (G) | 1.1 | 45,443 | |
 | Kenneth Kaplan (L) | 0.6 | 24,242 | |
 | Patricia Mooneyham (Vote Better Party) | 0.4 | 17,224 | |
| Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.2 | 9,806 | ||
| Total votes: 4,031,795 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bob Menendez (Independent)
- Nick Carducci (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey
Andrew Kim defeated Patricia Campos Medina and Lawrence Hamm in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Andrew Kim | 74.8 | 392,602 |
 | Patricia Campos Medina | 16.1 | 84,286 | |
 | Lawrence Hamm | 9.1 | 47,796 | |
| Total votes: 524,684 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kevin Cupples (D)
- Tammy Murphy (D)
- Bob Menendez (D)
- Kyle Jasey (D)
- Patrick Merrill (D)
- Joseph Signorello (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey
Curtis Bashaw defeated Christine Serrano-Glassner, Justin Murphy, and Albert Harshaw in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Curtis Bashaw | 45.6 | 144,869 |
 | Christine Serrano-Glassner | 38.4 | 121,986 | |
| Justin Murphy | 11.3 | 35,954 | |
 | Albert Harshaw | 4.7 | 15,064 | |
| Total votes: 317,873 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Gregg Mele (R)
- Daniel Cruz (R)
- Peter Vallorosi (R)
- Shirley Maia-Cusick (R)
- Michael Estrada (R)
- Alex Zdan (R)
Endorsements
- See also: Our approach to covering endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements or voter guide recommendations for Zdan in this election.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Alex Zdan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Zdan's campaign website stated the following:
Breaking the Stranglehold of Big Pharma and Healthcare Companies
Cory Booker’s buddies in the Pharma and healthcare industries have made Americans sicker while bankrolling Booker’s political career. Alex will unshackle Americans from abusive healthcare companies and continue efforts to drive down the cost of prescription drugs.
Ending Chronic Illness and Pollution
When Cory Booker was Mayor of Newark, he mismanaged a failed water system that sickened thousands with high levels of lead. Alex will lead the fight to clean up environmental wastelands that lead to chronic illness, conserving wilderness areas in the best traditions of Theodore Roosevelt.
Safer Food
All Americans deserve access to healthy, safe food. That includes those serving in the military, children in schools, and yes, Americans on government assistance. Alex will continue the progress made in strengthening nutritional standards, supporting small farmers and granting greater access to nutritious food for those on SNAP benefits.
Break Up Big Tech
Big Tech companies have poisoned the minds of children and censored Americans’ viewpoints. It’s time to break their stranglehold on power by enforcing anti-trust laws.
America First Means Americans First
Joe Biden’s border crisis brought tens of millions of illegal migrants into the United States unvetted. With the southern border now secure, law enforcement must be empowered to assist ICE in removing criminal illegal aliens from the United States. Democrats like Cory Booker and Gov. Mikie Sherrill are endangering communities and law enforcement alike with their reckless, performative policies.
Peace Through Strength
America should not seek foreign conflict or forever wars - but must be prepared to defend our interests against any challenge in a new era of great power conflict. Alex will back the greatest military the world has ever seen with better pay for our troops, a larger Navy and Air Force, and streamlined procurement for advanced weaponry.
Standing Up to Chinese Communist Party Influence
The threat from the CCP isn’t just in the South China Sea - it’s already here. Alex will support efforts to smash CCP infiltration on college campuses, ban foreign companies from buying farmland near military bases, and end illegal CCP spying and police stations on US soil.
Energy
Democrats’ wind boondoggle has meant residents are squeezed twice. First we footed the tax bill for wind farms that shoveled money into the pockets of the well-connected. Then, we had to pay high energy rates when the wind market collapsed. Alex will help redirect a national energy strategy toward safe nuclear power, clean-burning natural gas and more efficient solar energy.
Second Amendment Rights
“The people’s right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
End of statement.
Safe and Free Elections
One citizen, one vote is the bedrock of a civilized republic. Alex supports extensive verification to ensure only citizens are voting in our elections. That includes mandating a form of ID to register and vote, ending automatic voter registration through Motor Vehicles and regularly updating voter rolls.
— Alex Zdan's campaign website (May 20, 2026)
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Alex Zdan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
DUI arrest (2020)
On August 24, 2020, while driving under the influence, Zdan sideswiped an unoccupied car and left the scene. Shortly after, he was located by police in a parking lot and failed a field sobriety test leading to his arrest. The next day he was released on his own recognizance. In January 2021, Zdan took a plea deal that reduced the initial six charges down to two, driving under the influence and failure to report an accident, and was charged an $830 fine.[4][5]
While running for U.S. Senate in 2024, Zdan disclosed the DUI and stated, "No one is perfect – but no one is above the law. I’ve learned from my mistakes and have endeavored to improve myself every day. We are all on a journey in life, and I ask forgiveness for this inexcusable lapse in judgment – which will never happen again."[4]
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Alex Zdan," accessed May 20, 2026
- ↑ Ballot Ready, "Alex Zdan," accessed May 20, 2026
- ↑ InsiderNJ, "Former Senate Candidate Zdan Launches New PAC," August 14, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 New Jersey Globe, "Zdan had DUI in 2020," March 3, 2024
- ↑ The Daily Beast, "Hair-Raising Details of New Jersey GOP Senate Candidate’s DUI Emerge," March 14, 2024
