NJ CD#5 - Scott Garrett

[ramapo]

What did we do to deserve this guy? What a louse. He just infuriates me. I've been spending way too much time on his stupid Facebook page posting against the insanity that is Garrett and his minions. Thisall just reminds me of that gutless, spineless Steve Rothman who didn't have the balls to challenge Garrett and instead went after one our own. Rothman deserved what he got but we don't.

Is there any chance a strong Democrat will get their ass in gear for 2014? I know Garrett has just been sitting back and pulling in the cash but the district isn't that tilted Tea Party.

Just had to vent...

[JustAnotherGen]

1. No answers for you

But check the location of the TEAS. There are a few of us in the 7th that keep pointing out that they aren't constituents so they aren't relevant. Oregon, Delaware, Maine, Tennessee, Texas, Florida.

These people are yoyos. The Republicans are just as pissed as we are in the 7th. But note - Freedomworks, Beck, etc etc have "sent them".

I think you will be surprised if you click on their name and then the about. Have fun!

[Jim Lane]

2. I don't blame Rothman.

IIRC, he would've had to move to live in the district, and you know that Garrett would have portrayed him as an outsider (bogus though that would be). Also, the district is Republican-leaning (PVI R+4).

You can Rothman chose to run against one of our own, but you could say the same of Pascrell. The stark fact is that the redistricting threw two incumbent liberal Democrats into the same district. I personally think that Pascrell should have stepped aside for the younger man, but I can understand why he didn't.

I'll agree with you to the extent of saying that, if Rothman had moved and made the race, I would have made trips into the district to work for him. It would be great to have a strong Democratic candidate against Garrett in 2014.

[ramapo]

3. He moved to challenge Pascrell

Rothman was living in Fair Lawn which moved from CD9 to CD5. He moved back to Englewood, where he had once been mayor. Pascrell could not had reasonably been expected to move and challenge Garret.

[Jim Lane]

4. Sorry, I remembered the border issues wrong.

Rothman did move his residence, but, as you note, he chose to run in the district where his political base was. That's a reasonable choice.

I wasn't suggesting that Pascrell should have moved. The hard fact is that the redistricting created one district that included the political bases of two excellent liberal Democrats. My argument was that Pascrell, who was 75 at the time of the primary, should have stepped aside in favor of Rothman, who was 59. They were of equal seniority (both entered Congress in 1997), but Rothman would have more opportunity to build up and use additional seniority.

Yes, it's too bad that seniority is such a big deal in Congress. That's the way it is, though. We need progressives to move into more committee chairships (when the Dems are in the majority) and other important positions.

[ramapo]

5. Really a Democratic screwup

You have a good point that Pascrell should have stepped aside for Rothman. That is not unreasonable. My frustration is that Garrett essentially went unchallenged (again). I hope we don't see the same scenario unfold next year. It seems there must be a moderate Dem out there who can raise a lot of money but they better get something started soon.