The Lakewood Vaad is expected to endorse Dr. Robert Lebovics in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, the New Jersey Globe reported Wednesday.

Lebovics, 68, is a self-described centrist and nationally recognized otolaryngologist who is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Cory Booker. He serves as co-director of the Advanced Lung and Airway Center at Hackensack Meridian Health’s John F. Kennedy University Medical Center, where he specializes in infectious and inflammatory disorders of the throat.

Three other Republicans have emerged as the leading contenders in the race: former News 12 reporter Alex Zdan, state trooper and U.S. Army veteran Richard Tabor, and former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Justin Michael Murphy.

The Vaad’s endorsement carries significant weight in the Lakewood area, though Republican primaries in the region have historically drawn low voter turnout.