A New Jersey U.S. Congress candidate who used the slogan "Let's Go Brand*n — FJB" has withdrawn from the election after failing to gather enough valid signatures, the New Jersey Globe reports.
Republican Robert Shapiro submitted 203 signatures, but a judge found this week that nine of those were invalid, leaving Shapiro below the 200-signature threshold needed to appear on the ballot.
Administrative Law judge Elia Pelios determined that five of the signers lived in different districts, and the four others were registered Democrats and therefore unable to sign his petitions.
"If I'm going to go under 200, I don't want to waste anyone's time," Shapiro told the New Jersey Globe. "I have to withdraw my petitions."
Shapiro, who was making his 11th run for public office, previously needed to change his campaign slogan after being told by the state Division of Elections that he could keep the "Let’s Go Brand*n" portion if he agreed to drop the "FJB" portion.
Shapiro was attempting to challenge longtime incumbent Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican first elected to his seat in 1980.
The phrase "Let’s go, Brandon" has been adopted by opponents of President Joe Biden after an NBC reporter mistakenly heard a crowd at a NASCAR race who were apparently chanting "f*** Joe Biden" — FJB — as saying, "Let’s go, Brandon.”
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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