Halfacre, a triathlete, takes a breather in Red Bank after a bike ride last summer.

Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre appears to be tuning up for a run against 12th-district Congressman Rush Holt.

He's created a political action committee known as Mike Halfacre for Congress, according to a filing made last week with the Federal Election Commission. It lists Ronald Gravino as the treasurer and gives its address as Colonia, NJ.

"I am considering a run, and filed paperwork that lets me explore that opportunity and speak to people to gauge the interest in my candidacy," Halfacre, a Republican, tells redbankgreen via email.

In February, Halfacre told us he hadn't decided what to do with himself when his first term as mayor ends in December, 2010, but that he had spoken with friends and family about a possible congressional run.

The normally voluble Halfacre is now remaining somewhat tightlipped about his interest, at least in public. There's no mention of the FEC filing on his blog, not has he said anything about it on Twitter, where he tweets frequently, mixing politics ("The 12th's Rush
Holt (D-NJ) has voted for every bailout, TARP, omnibus, etc. and just
voted again to allow AIG execs to keep bonus") and pleasure ("Off to the Bronx Zoo with the 4 year old today…").

Noting that rules governing federal elections are more stringent than those for state and local races, he says he filing allows him to do polling and raise money toward a possible run. So far, though, he hasn't tried to raise money.

"We're talking to people, we're looking into the opportunity," he says.

If it happens, look for the media to pitch the race as a brains v. brawn fight. Halfacre, a solo practitioner attorney, was co-captain of the varsity swim team at Florida State and is a triathlete; Holt's a physicist and five-time winner on 'Jeopardy.'

Fair Haven is near the eastern tip of the bizarre, jagged-shaped district that reaches as far north as Clinton Township in Hunterdon County and as far south as Trenton.

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