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CD-5: Teaneck's Adam Gussen to run against Scott Garrett

by: Rosi Efthim

Mon Jan 09, 2012 at 11:39:46 AM EST

Since New Jersey was redistricted late last month, leaving the state with one less congressional district and a volatile, unsettled Democratic Party beginning what looks to be an ugly primary contest between Bill Pascrell and Steve Rothman, focus has been on the 9th, the district Rothman declined to run in.

That leaves the 5th an open question; who will challenge Tea Party darling Scott Garrett?

Connie Wagner appears to have strong and broad support. Among other names, incoming Assemblyman Tim Eustace was early talked up but has since signed on to the (437-member) Draft Connie Wagner for Congress facebook page. Also mulling it over (or being urged in by supporters) are Passaic Freeholder Terry Duffy, Se. Bob Gordon, the victor in November's most hotly contested race, and (wild card!) NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson.

Adam Gussen, Teaneck's Deputy Mayor, is the first to make it official, formally announcing he's in. In the reconfigured 5th, most of reliably-Democratic Teaneck landed in the 5th (it had been Rothman territory).

I don't know much about Gussen, except that 3 years when he was a councilman ago he filed to primary Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson, who serve LD-37 with Sen. Loretta Weinberg, and then dropped out.

Bergen folks, I'd be interested to know your impressions of Gussen and how strong he might be against Garrett.

Rosi Efthim :: CD-5: Teaneck's Adam Gussen to run against Scott Garrett

Tags: Scott Garrett, Adam Gussen, Teaneck, nj-5, CD5, Valerie Huttle, Gordon Johnson, (All Tags)

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CD-5: Teaneck's Adam Gussen to run against Scott Garrett | 9 comments

CD-5 Adam Gussen to run against... (0.00 / 0)

The comments I really have to say at this time are:

It really would have been the right thing to do if he had reached out to all of the broad based elements of the Democratic party, including the municipal chairs in the newly configured 5th and asked their opinion of his decision to run, before making a public announcement that he was running.

I am uncertain as to how many Democratic Party Activiists and other Municipal Chairs really know him.

However, thank goodness for Facebook, Twitter and Blue Jersey- otherwise many of us would never have known!

As far as his ability to beat Garrett-- We need the right kind of candidate who can take on the Garrett Machine. We need someone whose political record wont become a target for Garrett, who can raise the funds necessary, and who can appeal district wide-

I am the Municipal Chair of Teaneck and am in the midst of conversations with Democrats at all levels as to finding the right candidate who can beat Scott Garrett.

Additionally, I am concerned about having to have a primary fight when we need to focus all our monies and attention onto defeating Garrett.

by: liz @ Mon Jan 09, 2012 at 19:15:44 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Clearing the field... (0.00 / 0)

...might not necessarily be the best idea. Keeping an unpopular hack with strong ties to Joe Ferriero like Dennis McNerny out of the race would probably be for the best, because his candidacy would do more to muddy the waters than anything and Adam Gussen might not be ready for prime time yet and this is definitely a year where CD5 is going to need its best and brightest out front and center.

And while I don't know if someone like Terry Duffy is necessarily CD5's best or brightest, I think that someone like Connie Wagner, who could very well be both, could benefit from a contested primary against a candidate who offers strong contrasts and is from a county other than Bergen.

A Duffy-Wagner race could send the message to all Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans, who might be fed up with Garrett's extremism, from throughout the district that the Democratic Party establishment is finally taking CD5 seriously and that all of the district's voters are important.

If Duffy has the line in Passaic County and Wagner has the line in Bergen County, I think that both candidates will have to fight hard for the Sussex and Warren Democratic lines and this fight will help both of them develop name recognition in the hardest part of the district for Democrats to campaign and compete for votes.

I believe that Connie Wagner would eventually win a race like this and could benefit greatly over the long haul from it. I understand the concern about money, but I think that a campaign like this can be run effectively without spending a significant amount of money if the candidates focus their efforts on the ground and not in the air, and more than anything else, keep the race clean.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 00:57:01 AM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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I have posted on Gussen before. (0.00 / 0)

http://www.bluejersey.com/show... Here is my diary about how he first entered the scene. He was no friend of the Real Bergen Democrats.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 01:24:49 AM UTC

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Sorry, here is the correct link. (0.00 / 0)

http://www.bluejersey.com/diar...

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 01:34:12 AM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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Pascrell seems to like Gussen a lot (1.00 / 1)

http://www.politickernj.com/53...

I guess that he only has a problem with primary elections when he is forced to run in them.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 03:42:02 AM UTC

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Hardly an endorsement. (4.00 / 1)

Bert, you are writing the Republicans' ads for them if Pascrell wins. Just let the Primary play out and move on to another topic. Progressives like both Pascrell and Rothman. If I can get over Rothman running in the 9th, and so can my other progressive friends in the 5th, then maybe you can let it go. I always had a soft spot in my heart for you for learning how to canvas with me in New Hapmpshire and for introducing me to Blue Jersey, but we need to come together right now if we hope to have every Dem bring out voters for Obama this year. We can't do it if we are divided.

The key now is vetting candidates for the 5th, and I think perhaps Pascrell may have thought that Gussen had been vetted by the Bergen Dems already, but he has not been, by a long stretch.

I think Pascrell was just happy that ANY candidate is making it look like the race in the 5th could be won so that maybe Rothman would reconsider.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 16:15:28 PM UTC

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Pascrell... (0.00 / 0)

...has never cared about CD5 before. If he did, he would have publicly asked to be paired with him during the redistricting process. Unlike Rothman, he had a representative on the CRC who could have tried to put Pascrell and Garrett together.

I am not saying that this was an endorsement of Gussen, but it was yet another opportunity for Pascrell to smear Rothman rather than discuss the issues that contrast them, including but not limited to Pascrell's vote to ban late-term abortions.

I do not think that the primary elections in CD9 or CD10 will have any impact on Obama's re-election in NJ. Even if Christie is on the ticket, I don't foresee Obama losing. If I am wrong, it will have more to do with Obama's mediocre performance as President than anything that is said during the primary election season.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 18:07:44 PM UTC

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