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Photo by Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A crowded race

At least one thing is certain about the 2017 race to become New Jersey's next governor: Voters will have plenty of choices.

A number of high-profile names have announced they won't run after flirting with a campaign: Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, and state Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick.

But more than a dozen candidates could still end up vying to succeed Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who is in the last year of his second and final term. Here is a look at who has declared and who remains undecided, presented according to party affiliation and in alphabetical order.

Text by Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Photo by Laura Herzog | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Bill Brennan

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 50

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Brennan is a retired Teaneck firefighter who has spent years as an activist and local gadfly. Lately, he's gained attention for seeking official misconduct charges against Christie for the George Washington Bridge lane closings. Last week, a judge denied Brennan's request for a special prosecutor to handle the complaint.

HIS PITCH: Brennan said he's frequently fought fraud, waste, and corruption and has vowed to "clean up" New Jersey's government. "I'm going to have to do it from the top down as well as from the bottom up," he added.

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Photo courtesy of LinkedIn

Monica Brinson

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

WHAT SHE'S KNOWN FOR: Brinson, who has never held elected office, is a pharmaceutical sales rep from Hasbrouck Heights.

HER PITCH: On her LinkedIn profile, Brinson says: "Together we can be the change we need to see in New Jersey!"

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Photo by Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Tom Byrne

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 63

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Chairman of the State Investment Council; former chairman of New Jersey's Democratic party; son of former Gov. Brendan Byrne.

WHERE HE STANDS: Byrne said last month it's unlikely he'll run but added "it's not out of the question."

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Photo by John O'Boyle | The Star-Ledger

Bob Hoatson

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 64

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: A former Catholic priest who has since become an advocate for sexual abuse victims.

HIS PITCH: Hoatson, who has never held elected office, said what New Jersey needs is fresh leadership. "Frankly, the leadership of many institutions is corrupt to the core," he said. "I think that's a universal principle. It's one of the reasons I've stood up to leaders of the church."

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Photo courtesy of Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 55

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: A former U.S. Treasury official under then-President Bill Clinton and a federal prosecutor.

HIS PITCH: Johnson, who has never held elected office, said he's running on a platform of rebuilding the state's economy, restoring bonds in the community, and renewing trust in government. "I believe that elections, at the end of the day, are about the people who go to the voting booth," he said.

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Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Raymond Lesniak

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 70

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: The state senator from Union County is the second-longest serving member of the state Legislature. He was first elected in 1978. He is also a frequent Christie critic and the man who still waging a years-long fight to bring sports betting to the Garden State.

WHERE HE STANDS: Lesniak announced in July of 2015 that he wouldn't seek re-election to the Senate and would instead run for governor. But he announced in October of last year that he wouldn't seek the governor's office after all. Since then, he's changed his mind a few times. Now, he says, he'll make a decision within the next few weeks.

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Photo courtesy of Lisa McCormick

Lisa McCormick

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 47

WHAT SHE'S KNOWN FOR: McCormick, who has never held elected office, is the publisher of a weekly newspaper and community news website.

HER PITCH: On her website, McCormick says she has been "a progressive activist, fighting for justice, advocating smart and honest policies, like breaking up big banks, stopping corporate tax dodgers, Medicare for all, and expanding free public education." She adds that she will "work to eliminate the corrupt influence of dirty money in politics with an affordable system of fair and clean elections."

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Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Phil Murphy

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 59

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Former executive at banking firm Goldman Sachs and former U.S. ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama.

HIS PITCH: Murphy, who is considered the early favorite for both the Democratic nod and the governorship, is a multimillionaire whom critics have painted as the next Jon Corzine. But Murphy argues that he's not beholden to special interests and that he will fight for the middle class. "The system is broken," he said recently. "We want to be part of the solution to fix that system."

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Photo courtesy of Titus Pierce

Titus Pierce

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Pierce, who has never held elected office, is a veteran of the Iraq War and has worked in the banking industry. He also is known for his vibrant social media pages.

HIS PITCH: On his website, Pierce says he'll work to fix the state's finances and that "the people we serve must be the priority, not self."

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Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

John Wisniewski

PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat

AGE: 54

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Representing Middlesex County's 19th District in the state Assembly for 20 years; serving as the co-chair of the special legislative committee that investigated the George Washington Bridge scandal; serving as the New Jersey chair of Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign.

HIS PITCH: Wisniewski has already begun laying the foundation for a Sanders-stayle "grassroots" campaign against Murphy, a Clinton supporter with Wall Street ties. "We have an opportunity to choose between Wall Street and Main Street," he said.

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Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Jack Ciattarelli

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

AGE: 55

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Representing central Jersey's 16th District in the state Assembly since 2011; previously serving as a Somerset County freeholder.

HIS PITCH: Ciattarelli has portrayed himself as an antidote to Christie. "I am about people," he said. "I am not about power."

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Photo by Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Randy Brown

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

AGE: 49

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Mayor of Evesham Township; kicking consultant for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

WHERE HE STANDS: Brown said last month he's still considering a run. "We need to do what's best for the team," he said. "Would I be a lieutenant governor? If that's what team wanted, of course I would. And if I'm not first or second, I will support the ticket."

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Photo by Steve Hockstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Kim Guadagno

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

AGE: 57

WHAT SHE'S KNOWN FOR: Christie's lieutenant governor since 2010; former Monmouth County sheriff; former federal prosecutor.

WHERE SHE STANDS: Guadango has publicly broken with Christie — who has a record-low approval rating — a few times over the last few months, most notably saying she wouldn't vote for Donald Trump and opposing the governor on the gas tax hike. She has said she will decide whether to run after the holidays.

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Photo by Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Joe Piscopo

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican (but maybe independent)

AGE: 65

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: A comedian, actor, and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member; currently the host of a morning drive radio show on 970-AM The Answer in New York City.

WHERE HE STANDS: Piscopo told the Associated Press last month that he'd like to run as a Republican but isn't ruling out jumping in as an independent after the June 6 primary. "I'm seriously looking at it," he noted, promising to make a decision by January. "I love the people. I love the state. I know what has to be done."

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Photo by Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Steven Rogers

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

AGE: 64

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Nutley township commissioner; retired Nutley police official; retired lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence; U.S. Air Force veteran; adviser to Trump's campaign; Fox News talking head.

HIS PITCH: Rogers showed shades of Trump when he announced his bid last month. "My vision for New Jersey is to make sure the other 49 states envy us," he said.

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Photo courtesy of Joseph Rullo

Joseph Rullo

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

AGE: 47

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Ocean County businessman; actor.

HIS PITCH: Rullo, who has never held elected office, is a Christie critic and Trump supporter who touts that he's not part of the GOP establishment. " I am prepping a massive overhaul of Trenton," he told NJ Advance Media recently.

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Photo by Patti Sapone | The Star-Ledger

Seth Kaper-Dale

PARTY AFFILIATION: Green Party

AGE: 41

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Pastor of the Reformed Church of Highland Park.

HIS PITCH: The reverend said he is fed up with "politics as usual" and will focus on helping poorer residents. "Whoever is last will be the first priority of my administration," he said.

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Photo courtesy of Karese Laguerre

Karesse Laguerre

PARTY AFFILIATION: Independent

AGE: 31

WHAT SHE'S KNOWN FOR: Laguerre, a political newcomer, is a dental hygienist who lives with her husband a four children in Sayreville.

HER PITCH: On her Facebook page, Laguerre he was inspired to run because of her own struggles and those other patients. She says her hope is "to establish a new form of government, one where the people are included in all aspects."

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Photo courtesy of Jon Lancelot

Jon Lancelot

PARTY AFFILIATION: Independent

WHAT HE'S KNOWN FOR: Lancelot, who has never held elected office, is a computer technician and activist who formerly worked for defense contractor Lockheed Martin at the Pentagon.

HIS PITCH: On his campaign website, Lancelot says he "knows the system inside and out, but prefers out."

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Photo by Tony Kurdzuk | The Star-Ledger

The full list of hopefuls

DEMOCRATS



Bill Brennan

Monica Brinson

Tom Byrne*

Bob Hoatson

Jim Johnson

Raymond Lesniak

Lisa McCormick

Phil Murphy

Titus Pierce

John Wisniewski

Mark Zinna

REPUBLICAN

Randy Brown*

Jack Ciattarelli

Kim Guadagno

Joe Piscopo*

Steven Rogers

Joseph Rullo

GREEN PARTY

Seth Kaper-Dale

INDEPENDENT

Jon Lancelot

Karese Laguerre

*Has not yet declared and is still considering whether to run