Weitzner: Ferguson decision personal, not political
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterMike Ferguson’s decision to leave Congress was based entirely on his desire to spend time with his wife and four young children and had nothing to do with politics, says his longtime political consultant, Larry Weitzner.
“There weren’t any political considerations in this whatsoever – it was just really a matter of him wanting to spend more time with his family – it’s a very young family,” said Weitzner, who has worked for Ferguson since his first race for Congress, against Rep. Frank Pallone in 1998. “He got into politics for the right reasons and now he’s leaving for the right reasons –he’s dedicated to service and he’s also dedicated to his family. With young children, he just felt conflicted all the time, traveling back and forth and not being able to go to his kids' soccer games.”
Weitzner says that Ferguson was “savoring the fight against Linda Stender.
“We felt like after her weak re-election to the legislature and the changing environment to ’06, which is toxic, to ’08, which will be about the future,” Weitzner told PolitickerNJ.com.
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Oh, bull
He's protesting a little much. He couldn't get to 50% last time, Stender outraised him in the last quarter while simultaneously raising money for her Assembly run, the NRCC is in negative fundraising territory, and the DCCC is raising millions and will be in this district this time. He was pushed down the totem pole when the Rs were in charge, and with the Dems in power he has absolutely no influence whatsoever.
This is dang sure a political decision, even if part of it is personal. I'll bet the desire to get a high-paying gig with some of his old political supporters has something to do with it, too.