Scott Garrett

Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney endorsed fifth district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman today.

Shulman, a blind rabbi and psychologist, is running against primary opponent Camille Abate to take on conservative Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.   

“Dennis Shulman, unlike Scott Garrett, understands the challenges facing the hardworking men and women of Northern New Jersey,” said McNerney.

United States Rep. Frank Pallone endorsed Dennis Shulman in the fifth district Democratic congressional primary.

Shulman, a rabbi and psychologist who’s been blind since childhood, faces Camille Abate for the nomination to take on Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett.

"I find so much to admire in Dennis's story and message," said Pallone in a press release. "Residents of Northern New Jersey deserve much better representation than what they are getting from Scott Garrett. Dennis' passionate willingness to fight for hardworking families, to end the war in Iraq and to address critical environmental issues is exactly what we need to defeat Congressman Garrett this fall."

The question seems to come up every two years: is incumbent 5th District Rep. E. Scott Garrett vulnerable to a Democratic challenge? 

This year is no exception.

Challengers during Garrett’s first three campaigns thought they had a good shot, but he managed to beat them by double digit margins each time – even if those margins have narrowed each time.

But both of the Democrats vying to take him on say that this time is different, and both have released internal polls that they say proves it. 

The frontrunner in the Democratic race, blind rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman, reported today that he has raised $125,000 last quarter and has $245,500 cash-on-hand.  That's a slowdown from his previous quarter of fundraising, but Shulman is ahead of any of Garrett's previous Democratic challengers: Paul Stuart Aronsohn, Dorothea Wolfe or Anne Sumers. 

TRENTON - As Democrats gear up for a bruising senate primary season, unofficial congressional filing results with the state Division of Elections show no same-party challengers to incumbent Democratic congressmen.      

Only in the 1st District, where Democratic U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews is vacating his seat to challenge U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in the primary, are there several hopefuls battling for what Andrews leaves behind.

Another Democrat wants to challenge Republican incumbent E. Scott Garrett in the fifth Congressional district. 

Sort of. 

Roger Bacon, who said that he's actually a registered Republican, has filed to run as a Democrat against Rabbi/psychologist Dennis Shulman and lawyer Camille Abate.  

Bacon, who is running under the slogan “Independent Democrat for Lower Energy Cost,” lives in Phillipsburg and runs a customized ceramic gift mug business called Luvmug.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting Republican Congressman Scott Garrett on the issue of middle class tax cuts.

“Representative Garrett opposed tax cuts for middle class families by voting against a fiscally responsible budget. As hardworking Americans are squeezed more every month, Representative Garrett values loyalty to President Bush’s failed economic policies that got us into this mess more than tax cuts for middle-class families,” said DCCC press secretary Doug Thornell.

United States Senate candidate Murray Sabrin still plans to field an alternate slate of Republicans to every candidate in the June primary – except one.

Sabrin announced today that he won’t field a challenger to fifth district Republican Rep. E. Scott Garrett, since he adheres to the five Republican principles outlined in Sabrin’s "Constitutional Republicans protecting the Liberty Platform.” 

Dennis ShulmanFor a candidate in a congressional race that most political observers consider a long shot, Dennis Shulman, who hopes to be the Democrats’ chosen candidate to against Republican U.S. Rep. E. Scott Garrett, has raised a significant amount of money.

Although the blind rabbi/psychologist's campaign won’t release fundraising totals until Monday, sources say that Shulman raised approximately $140,000 last quarter, bringing his amount raised so far up to about $190,000. It’s unclear how much of that will be cash on hand.

Shulman would not confirm or deny raising the sum.

"I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the enthusiasm for change here in New Jersey," he said in a statement. "Our campaign is still fresh, but we are committed to bringing this district the kind of sensible leadership that the people are thirsting for."

Rabbi Dennis Shulman has entered the race against Rep. Scott GarrettDennis Shulman, a Rabbi and psychologist who has never run for public office before, said today that he would challenge three-term Rep. Scott Garrett next year.

Shulman joins attorney Camille Abate as Democratic candidates seeking the fifth district nomination. Abate won 40% in the 2006 primary against the organization candidate, Paul Stuart Aronsohn.

So far, Democrats haven’t seemed anxious to field and financially support a real challenger to Rep. E. Scott Garrett. But amongst Republicans, there’s discontent with Garrett brewing just beneath the surface of the fifth congressional district.

Some complain of Garrett’s steadfast conservative ideological commitment which has led to cast votes against bills considered no-brainers to Democrats and more moderate Republicans. Whether this is a strength or weakness is up for debate, however.