Biotech exec puts ailing children before U.S. Senate run

The Star Ledger ^ | April 6, 2008 | Robert Schwaneberg

[mick]

Biotech exec puts ailing children before U.S. Senate run by Robert Schwaneberg/ The Star-Ledger Sunday April 06, 2008, 1:05 PM Despite the encouragement of thousands of New Jerseyans and Republican presidential candidate John McCain, a Princeton father who founded his own biotech company to save two of his children from a rare disease will not run for U.S. Senate.

John Crowley, a Navy reservist and president of Amicus Therapeutics of Cranbury, decided this morning not to seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, his friend, adviser and fellow Republican Bill Spadea said.

"Given his tremendous level of responsibility, first to his family, then to his company and of course to the U.S. Navy, he decided this morning he will not enter the U.S. Senate race," Spadea said.

Crowley had said Monday he would not run, but that only sparked what amounted to a movement to draft the 40-year-old Princeton man with a life story that seems destined for Hollywood.

A book has been written about how he raised more than $100 million for a string of biotech companies researching Pompe disease, a usually fatal genetic disorder that afflicts two of this three children. Actor Harrison Ford optioned the film rights.

Spadea confirmed McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona and the party's presumptive nominee for president, called to urge Crowley to run on his ticket. Over the past three days, Spadea said, volunteers had collected 2,200 signatures on nominating petitions, more than twice what Crowley needed had he decided to file by Monday's deadline.

"I know there was a lot of legitimate anticipation that John would enter the race,'' Spadea continued. "We've been upfront all along about the level of major obligations he had. Ultimately, the decision had to be said to be on the side of his family."

[mick]

The right man at the wrong time in his life. Woe to the NJGOP

[Clintonfatigued]

This is good for John Crowley and his family, but bad for New Jersey. Perhaps anther time.

Of course, Lautencadaver could lose the DemocRAT primary. I don’t see Republicans winning here now.

[mick]

Your right. It was going to be an uphill battle for John. I don’t see anyone else being able to mount a credible campaign against the NJ rats this year. We are going to have a hard time holding the White House as it is.

[buck jarret]

Sadly, I doubt that a Republican could win a Senate seat from New Jersey at this point.

[El Sordo]

“A book has been written about how he raised more than $100 million for a string of biotech companies researching Pompe disease, a usually fatal genetic disorder that afflicts two of this three children. Actor Harrison Ford optioned the film rights. “

I Bet ya he becomes a Democrat in the movie or at the least has an impassioned speech against either insurance companies or Big Pharma.. Bethca, betcha.

[Paleo Conservative]

Isn’t it really expensive to run a campaign in New Jersey? All the TV stations are out of state and in top ten media markets.

[Clemenza]

NJ is usually regarded as the most expensive media market in the United States, since (other than "NJ1") all TV and Radio media must be purchased in either New York or Philadelphia, so you are basically paying for a campaign in two states.

Historically, NJ has never been dominated by a single newspapers (the Star Ledger is the largest, but it only covers Essex/Hudson/Union/Morris Counties), so print media is, believe it or not, quite pricey, as every single newspaper believes that their "affluent" customer base deserves high ad commissions.