Although there was some speculation late last week that he might back off of his surprise Senate bid just before this afternoon’s filing deadline, Rep. Robert Andrews has filed to challenge Sen. Frank Lautenberg in New Jersey’s June Democratic primary.

In an interview, Andrews closed the door on any chance that he might still drop back into the race for the 1st district House seat he’s held for 10 terms.

“I am running to win the Senate race and I’m not running for the House,” Andrews said. “Win or lose, I am not running for the House.”

Skepticism about whether Andrews was working to create a safety net for himself emerged over the weekend as it became clear that 1st district Democratic leaders had lined up behind his wife, Rutgers University Law School Associate Dean Camille Andrews, as the party’s replacement in his Camden-based seat.

The 1st district is a safely Democratic district where the winner of the primary should cruise to victory in November. If Camille Andrews were to drop out of the race after she won the nomination, the 1st district Democratic County Committee members would be tasked with picking her replacement.

— John McArdle