Voters in the 5th and 11th Congressional Districts have the opportunity to reward what a majority of American want in their Representatives: the ability to negotiate with members of the other party to do the people’s work.
In endorsing Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill to return to Washington, we are rewarding them for their attempts to work across the aisle to solve the problems of today as well as being leading moderate voices in their party.
For the last four years, Gottheimer has worked tirelessly for the people of the 5th district. He has prioritized clawing back federal funds to help lower taxes for North Jersey residents and has lead the fight to restore the State and Local Tax deduction removed by Republicans in 2017.
And when his district was in the eye of the COVID-19 storm, Gottheimer made sure towns and frontline workers such as nurses, doctores and first responders in his congressional district received the funds and supplies needed to combat the coronavirus. Notably, he was the only member of the New Jersey delegation asked to serve on President Donald Trump’s task force focused on economic recovery.
As importantly, Gottheimer has sought to hold those responsible for deaths at long-term care facilities, specifically at Andover Subacute facilities in Sussex County and the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Paramus (NJVHP).
In a district sprawled over four counties, Gottheimer efforts to work with both parties has led him to co-chair the Problem Solvers Caucus. It is that type of leadership that will be needed in Washington in the next term.
In regards to his opponent, GOP challenger Frank Pallotta has proven to be out of step with his district as his campaign has become more extreme. As we get closer to election day, Pallotta has questioned if Gov. Phil Murphy inflated New Jersey’s coronavirus death toll in order to mandate a vote-by-mail election, said his first congressional action would be to ban face masks and has refused to disassociate from supporters who have spewed racist and anti-semitic rhetoric.
The choice in the 11th Congressional District is much more difficult. Rep. Sherrill and her Republican opponent, Rosemary Becchi, each offer outstanding resumes and would be strong advocates for New Jersey.
Becchi has an accomplished background in government, including working on the majority staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee as tax counsel. It was during her time on the Finance Committee that Becchi co-authored the 529 college savings plans that have helped millions of families save for their children’s education.
While campaigning on Republician national themes, such as helping small businesses and fighting against reducing funding for police departments, she has steered clear of the more extreme elements of her party. Republicans would be wise to follow the example Becchi has set in this race going forward.
But we are supporting Sherrill to return to the House of Representatives because she has kept her promise to work as a moderate after winning the 11th District for Democrats for the first time in over 30 years in 2018.
Sherrill, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, has been a leading voice in the North Jersey delegation when it comes to transportation infrastructure issues. The congresswoman was able, after years of stalling from the Trump Administration, to help secure urgently needed federal funding to replace the Portal North Bridge.
Her ability to work with members of the other party resulted, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Sherrill forming the Regional Recovery Task Force to bring Republicans and Democrats in the Northeast together to work on coronavirus response legislation. This is the exact type leadership that will be needed as the country fights and sets its recovery priorities over the next two years.
In a district serving Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties, Mikie Sherrill’s work over the last two years has proven she deserves to return to Washington to serve the people of the 11th District.
Hardly a surprise that the media arm of the Democrat Party party line endorse all Democrats. No better content then the supermarket rags where at least they don’t deny they make stuff up
Please enlighten us-when has Josh Gottheimer ever reaches across the aisle? He speaks about it, but had been a Pelosi puppet for four years already now.
Ms. Larsen: I guess you need to be enlightened. He has voted 32.4 in line with Trump’s positions. Why don’t you do your research before making baseless comments. source: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/josh-gottheimer/
Sounds like sour grapes to me. The Record gave reasons why they were endorsing Gottheimer and not Pallotta.
I agree strongly with your endorsements and trust that in their wisdom voters will follow your lead. And if ADZ is so upset with you and his assumed predisposition of your opinions, why is he still a subscriber? Apparently he already knows what you’re thinking!
But back to reality, I disagree that NJ11 is a difficult choice; it is not. While I acknowledge Ms. Becchi’s accomplishments, she is running as a Republican, the party of Trump, and by association is endorsing his malfeasance and corruption. I can not, at least in this election cycle, back any Republican that I know of because of their affiliation and implicit endorsement. One is known by the company one keeps, and Trump is bad company. Beyond party affiliation, the very moderate Rep. Sherrill’s many accomplishments, a lot of them quiet but influential, make her the obvious pick for NJ11. I look forward to her re-election.
Last thought: New Jersey is already voting, and has been for two weeks. Why have you waited so long to post this?
I’m not a subscriber. NJN just sends it to develop a following so they can get advertisers. I stopped subscribing to all MSM rags for the same reason. However you have to follow the sinister and evil Dems to find out what they are up to next. Sickening.
I rather thought the terms “sickening” and “evil” applied to today’s version of the Republican party. But you’ve no doubt heard and ignored the reasons for such a conclusion before, and yet you appear to be signing on to that crew. Anyway, enjoy living your fiction. I’ll stay with provable facts, thanks.
I was a registered Dem for 25 years. Gave it up when the communists took over.
All Dems are evil? I’m sorry that you feel that only the GOP has patriots.
There are other affiliations besides the GOP, however they are certainlhy one option besides the Communists