By email today, Ed Potosnak informed supporters of his 2010 & 2012 runs for Congress against GOP incumbent Leonard Lance that he is ending his run for the seat this year. Potosnak had, after congressional redistricting, a clear shot at the Democratic nomination after former Edison mayor Jun Choi was redistricted out of the newly reconfigured 7th CD. Lance benefitted in the newly drawn district, gaining a district more favorable to the Republican. Lance beat Potosnak 59-41% in 2010.
Potosnak will be taking a job as Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. Before he ran for Congress, Potosnak was a high school chemistry teacher. In 2007, he wAs selected for the highly competitive Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, which brought him to Washington, where he used his classroom experience to advise members of Congress on education policy. He received the Einstein fellowship twice, working in the DC office of Congressman Michael M. Honda, who is also a DNC Vice-Chair.
Last night, I attended a town meeting hosted by the Morris County Tea Party, featuring Congressman Leonard Lance. Yup, I was in the room with Tea Party People--and I survived. You should try it yourself --it was a lot of fun.
Not only was I there, but nearly half the room was filled with MoveOn.org folks. Strangely enough, but for widely different reasons, these folks agreed on one thing: they were both upset with Congressman Lance's yes vote on the debt ceiling deal. One side thought it went way too far; the other side thought it went not far enough.
After a moment of silence for the 31 Navy SEALs who lost their lives last weekend, Lance began his presentation with a PowerPoint display explaining the debt ceiling deal: How the agreement was to appoint a super committee of 12 members of Congress, six Democrats, six Republicans, six senators and six congressmen. This super committee would be charged with making suggestions of over $1 trillion in cuts by January of 2012. If, however, this super committee cannot come to an agreement on cuts, then there would be a series of draconian cuts to everything including military spending. This seems to be the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the conservative Republicans to at least try to be reasonable, and come to a good decision about cuts.
After Lance's presentation, questions came from the standing room only crowd of almost 250. I must say that I was very impressed that the congressman took an equal number of questions from both tea party members and MoveOn.org members--I did not expect that to happen --considering that this was a Morris County Tea Party sponsored event.
New Jersey's seventh legislative district has traditionally encompassed the "River Towns" on the Route 130 corridor. But the legislative redistricting has put Republican Moorestown and Mount Laurel into that district.
Singleton was the Chief of Staff to former Speaker Joe Roberts and is currently President of New Jersey Carpenter's union, serves on the Turnpike Authority and Burlington County Bridge Commission, and is a trustee of Rowan University.
I had a chance interview Singleton prior to tonight's meeting of the Mount Laurel Democratic Club, where he spoke to the party faithful. In this four-minute video, Singleton talks about the state budget, marriage equality, jobs, and shared sacrifice.
A new analysis by the House Commerce Committee provides District by District information on the impact of Republican Medicare Plan and Medicaid cuts, illuminating the disastrous impact of the Ryan Budget supported by my opponent right here in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District.
Congressman Leonard Lance supported the Ryan budget, which ends Medicare as we know it, turning Medicare into a voucher program.
Here is the impact, by the numbers on NJ-7's CD directly from the analysis: • Reduce coverage for 8,400-dual eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities.
• Jeopardize nursing home care for 1,800
• Impair the healthcare of 13,000 children (including 400 newborns)
• Cut payments for Emergency Room visits for 5,000 patients
• Cut payments to hospitals for 1,500 inpatient visits
Medicaid assistance under the Ryan Plan cuts an average of $13,000 per enrollee over the next decade, putting seniors and persons with disabilities at risk.
This analysis is aligned with the report from May by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), which estimated that a typical 65-year-old Medicare beneficiary in 2022 would see their out-of-pocket health care costs increase from $6,154 to $12,513 under the Republican budget.
If the Ryan plan to turn Medicare into an inadequate voucher program, for which Congressman Lance voted, were to be signed into law, seniors across America would face bleak economic prospects. But with the exception of Florida, there is no state more disastrously impacted than right here in New Jersey. Congressman Lance has seen these numbers and well knows that by 2022 out of pocket expenses for the typical 65-year old enrollee in New Jersey would jump from $6,832.43 to $13,892.47, the second biggest increase in America ($7,060.03).
I'll fight against that ever being enacted every day I'm in office.
Please help me in fighting for our Seniors and standing up to the GOP's Budget by joining Congressman Barney Frank at an event supporting my 2012 campaign for Congress on June 18th in Warren, Somerset County, NJ. RSVP Today.
Ed Potosnak, who got 40% in his 2010 race against first-time GOP incumbent Leonard Lance, has filed with the FEC to run again in 2012. Former Edison mayor Jun Choi announced his intention to run a few days ago. New Jersey loses a congressional district in this cycle, but of course we don't know which one, and NJ-7 has lost fewer constituents than some of the northern congressional districts. So, it's full steam ahead, and I'm glad to see Potosnak run again, and start early.
Barney Frank is a great get for Potosnak's first funder (June 18 in Somerset County). I've seen him speak, and he's red meat for sharp Democrats. Frank's the House architect of the law that created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He fought for Elizabeth Warren to run it. Now both the new bureau and Warren are is Kryptonite to Senate Republicans Barney Frank definitely doesn't pull his punches or suffer fools gladly. He's famous for his toughness. He is also one of the most well-known gay politicians in the country, and Ed Potosnak is a progressive Democrat who is also out.
You can argue that a race against Lance is not only easier if you've run one before here, but also easier this time around because Lance, something of a GOP maverick in the NJ legislature, has become a disappointing Party sycophant sliding to the right in a CD that may be less tolerant of it, and less invested in him than some of my Hunterdon neighbors still are.
I've met Joan Potosnak. She's pretty awesome. - promoted by Rosi
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate our Moms and all the women in our life who provide support.
My Mom is very special to me. When I needed healthcare, she took on a second job, working nights at UPS because her full-time day job did not offer health benefits. That year I had two surgeries. Who knows how we would have survived the mountain of medical bills without access to health insurance. She sacrificed so I could be healthy, focus on my studies and become the man I am today.
Thank you Mom. I love you.
And thank you to all the Moms in our lives-bosses, colleagues, family, and friends for re-shaping America. more below...
This is a good topic of discussion. We don't know yet what NJ-7 will look like and what towns will be in, and which towns out. What do you think, Blue Jersey? - promoted by Rosi
I was extremely pleased the President Obama's State of the Union speech last night focused on our future. While the GOP's rhetoric is focused on the past and stoking fears about our debt, the President took on the difficult task of outlining a vision for America's future that includes encouraging American innovation AND debt reduction. President Obama hit the nail on the head when he said, "the future is ours to win. But to get there, we can't just stand still," we need to move our country forward in order to stay ahead of other nations in an increasingly competitive global economy.
America can no longer rest on the successes of the past to ensure prosperity for the future; we must take an aggressive approach to catalyzing innovation through strategic investments in physical, technological, and human capital. It is a matter of national and economic security that we step up our efforts to maintain our leadership and unleash American ingenuity at every level to create new industries and new jobs.
In order to meet the President's challenge to spur innovation, create clean energy, expand high-speed rail, and reduce the debt, we must recognize:
1. Innovation is the Key to Economic Growth
2. Strategic Investments Can Promote Innovation
3. Today's Education Will Shape the Future
In July, Joel Stein wrote a piece for Time Magazine about the town he grew up in, My Own Private Edison. It chronicled hometown changes from the time everybody he knew there was white, to present day as new spicy smells waft out of new restaurants, and Bollywood plays at the multiplex. Stein didn't sound too welcoming to all of Edison's residents; his humor fell flat.
That article vexed a lot of people, only some of whom live in the now vibrant and diverse township of Edison. Ed Potosnak, whose NJ-7 district includes North Edison, was one. And he put together a petition to Time objecting to Stein's racial stereotyping.
Support for Potosnak is strong in NJ's South Asian community. And Potosnak has a couple of great gets calling NJ-7 voters that not every candidate has access to - one is his old boss Rep. Mike Honda, Chair of the Asian Pacific Congressional Caucus and DNC Vice-Chair. Another is Kal Penn, who left the cast of House to work in Barack Obama's White House and is now returning to acting.
If you live in NJ-7, You might be getting a robo call from Kal Penn - born Kalpen Suresh Modi in Montclair, NJ - for his fellow New Jerseyan Ed Potosnak. (You might also get calls from Sen. Bob Menendez, Sen. Barbara Buono, Chair John Wisniewski, Education Committee Chair Asm Pat Diegnan, and the candidate's mom Joan Potosnak, who nearly every volunteer has worked alongside by now). Kal Penn's involvement comes via PCCC - Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Here's PCCC's founder, Adam Green (also from NJ, and the former NJDSC Communications Director):
In the last couple days, over 500 PCCC members chipped in over $5,000 to help Ed Potosnak's high-energy, progressive campaign finish strong -- and defeat Leonard Lance. Folks in the 7th district should sign up to help Ed Get Out The Vote in the final days. And progressives around New Jersey can help Ed get this new Kal Penn robo-call to key voters and run a strong GOTV operation by chipping in $4 to his campaign. Every donation goes a long way.
You can join PCCC here (I highly recommend it). Kal Penn's calls:
Ed Potosnak was a high school chemistry teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School who won a national Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. That brought him to Washington where he worked on policy with Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA). He is creative, well-educated, solidly progressive and ready to walk into Congress on day one and do his job. Here's the GOTV schedule from now until election day - there is also GOTV going on out of the local Democratic HQs in Hunterdon, Somerset, Union and Middlesex. You can hook in to Ed's campaign here.
Saturday: Phone banking from 12-9 (2-4, 4-6, 6-9)
Canvassing from 11-4
Sunday: Phone banking from 12-9
Canvassing from 12-5
Monday: Morning Viz: 6-8 AM (Viz is holding out signs and posters to people on streets and intersections)
Evening Viz: 5-7 PM
Phone Banking: 10-9 (10-12, 12-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-9)
Lit Drop: 11-4
Canvassing from 4-8
On Monday, October 25, starting at 3 PM, I'll be manning the phones to help Ed Potosnak in his bid to represent New Jersey's 7th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Ed is just the type of person we need in Congress. He's a science teacher, so he can be an effective counterpoint to the GOP's anti-science and anti-education initiatives. I'm confident that his approach toward creating and saving jobs will benefit all New Jerseyans. And he's a fellow Rutgers graduate to boot! If you follow my blog, and are in the Woodbridge area, stop by and say hello - I'd love to meet some of my readers. The campaign office is at 115 Main Street, and if you can stay a while to help with the phones, that would be super!
We now have both debates available on video, both below.
A few observations: Lance goes - many times - to the dusty GOP tactic of mentioning Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as though she's some kind of demi-witch, just in time for Halloween, with evil intentions that well-meaning Republicans must protect America from. It's quite overdone, and in the News 12 debate, Potosnak finally calls him on it, and reminds him of who he's actually running against and who he's not. The DADT conversation is interesting; Lance voted against the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell (he rates only 38% Human Rights Campaign's scorecard). On the War question, Potosnak is unequivocal, a very clear position. Lance uses the opportunity to claim bi-partisanship with Obama, and try and trump Potosnak by showing off an incumbent congressman's access to classified briefings. Not too subtle. Also interesting is how assertive, aggressive even, he is toward Lance's record on several issues, particularly on economic issues. More than a few times, particularly in the News12 debate where the candidates are sitting 2 feet apart, Potosnak stared him down. Lance is good on his feet, a consummate speaker, but several times he appeared rattled and angry.
For the rest of this, frankly, I feel too close to this race (it's my District, and I helped bring Democracy for America (DFA) into the race, full disclosure) to be objective. So, Blue Jersey, I'd be interested in what you think. Of both debates.
NJ-7 Debate, sponsored by News 12 New Jersey 10/20/10
The only other debate (just 2 days earlier) is very different, and you can watch it after the jump. So, jump:
When big, national grassroots groups endorse in congressional races, they sometimes bring not only attention but resources. We saw that last week when Democracy for America's endorsement generated a day of field for Ed Potosnak in both sides of NJ-7, and then just 48 hours later when DFA-ally Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) joined in, members of both groups from all over the country made thousands of voter-ID calls to identify Potosnak voters all over NJ-7 for the coming GOTV effort.
That's how it is for both progressive challenger Potosnak and progressive incumbent Rep. Rush Holt, who are both nationally endorsed by Stonewall Democrats for their strong advocacy for equality. Yes - of only 1 dozen ElectEQUALITY candidates in the US, two are from New Jersey.
And we have, via our ally Pam's House Blend a nice roundup of the staffers Stonewall Democrats have sent to assist both campaigns.
Sean Mann's here in NJ for Ed Potosnak: I got to meet Sean Mann, who Stonewall Dems sent to coordinate volunteers for Ed Potosnak, last week when DFA's Jim Dean kicked off a canvass from Ed's Woodbridge HQ, in Ed's campaign against the weakening first-term incumbent Leonard Lance. Sean moved to D.C. to become a student at George Washington University's Campaign Management Program, specializing in advocacy politics. He says it's a dream of his to be an advocate for the rights of minorities, especially those in the LGBTQ community, as his work for Stonewall Dems allows him to do for Ed Potosnak. Sean's from Daytona Beach. He has past experience advocating and campaigning for local campaigns in Florida like Gainesville's No on Amendment 1. Follow Ed Potosnak on Twitter.
Alex Kapelman's in NJ for Rush Holt: Alex is an Organizer for Rush Holt's NJ-12 re-election against Scott Sipprelle. Before joining the EqualiTeam, Alex worked for Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. as Lead Field Manager and Assistant to the Canvass Director. He raised tens of thousands of dollars for progressive causes, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Alex graduated from Bates College in May 2009, with a degree in Sociology and plans to go to law school. Follow Rush Holt on Twitter.
Things happen fast when your race heats up. Monday, Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean campaigned with NJ-7 challenger Ed Potosnak. Today, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) endorsed. And tonight, DFA & PCCC together are designating a shift of their national Call Out the Vote project to turning NJ-7 blue. (Political comedy's also tonight for Ed - in Fanwood - woo hoo!).
What it means is that voter-contact calls will be flooding into NJ-7 from all over the country, from progressives who not only intend to hold the House but to hold it with top-notch solid progressives.
I said it was a hot race. Tonight, there's also a political comedy show for Ed - Punchlines & Pizza for Potosnak (a comedy show for smart liberals) in Fanwood. Progressive comedians Scott Blakeman and (Princeton alum) Jeff Kreisler headline, with Joey Novick hosting.
Full disclosure blah blah blah: I live with Novick, and help run DFA-NJ alongside Jeff Gardner, my pal. Also, my pals: Blakeman & Kreisler. Funny guys. Oh, and more pix from Monday's DFA Action Day after the flip ...
Please view these survey results and tell me if you really believe that these results represent the true beliefs of NJ voters. If this is anything other than right wing propaganda I am very disappointed.
Hey, we're doing a political comedy show for Ed Potosnak tonight: Punchlines & Pizza for Potosnak. Come on down.
It's tonight, Oct. 13, from 7:30-11:30pm. at the Sun Tavern at 15 South Avenue in Fanwood. There's great pizza, intelligent lefty comedy. And Ed will be there.
I'll be hosting comedians Scott Blakeman & Jeff Kreisler.
Scott Blakeman, regular liberal pundit on Fox News, has also been a guest panelist on msnbc's coverage of the 2010 White House Correspondents Dinner, has been featured on Comedy Central and The Late Show often, with Palestinian-American comedian Dean Obeidallah performs Standup for Peace: The Two Comedian Solution to Middle East Peace.
Jeff Kreisler - a Princeton grad - is Winner of the Bill Hicks Spirit Award for Thought Provoking Comedy, has appeared on The Daily Show and is the author of Get Rich Cheating, which Rachel Maddow loved.
Tickets are $70, and you can make checks out to Ed Potosnak for Congress (contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes, but you already knew that part). You can RSVP to Becky at the campaign: 908-6914770
Please make checks payable to Ed Potosnak for Congress. Or donate on line.
A few days ago, Democracy for America (DFA), with more than 1 million members, endorsed Ed Potosnak for Congress in NJ's 7th congressional district. I just want to talk about that for a sec, before anything else. Full disclosure: No secret that there's crossover here between DFA and Blue Jersey. Jeff Gardner & I are two of the 5 who run the state DFA group. We helped get this endorsement. And both of us will be in central NJ Monday when DFA Chair Jim Dean joins Loretta Weinberg (a 2007 national DFA candidate), and me & Jeff, and a lot of our friends, to campaign with Ed Potosnak. Want to come? Monday's Columbus Day - a day off for a lot of folks:
11am - Woodbridge: Join us at Ed's Campaign HQ for canvass kick off followed by Door-to-Door and Phone Banking voter contact. Address is 115 Main St., Woodbridge. 3pm - Flemington: At the Hunterdon County Democratic HQ for a rally followed by Door-to-Door and Phone Banking voter contact. Hunterdon Dem HQ is 200 Main St., Flemington. Parking & entrance in back of Law Office.
4pm - Hunterdon County: Right now, if you make a contribution of $25 you will be entered to win a seat at the table for a high dollar afternoon supper with Ed, Jim and Senator Loretta Weinberg. Location TBA in Hunterdon County.
Bonus! The runner up will receive a signed copy of Senator Weinberg's book, What's Love Got to Do With it? The Case for Same-Sex Marriage (co-authored by Sen. Ray Lesniak). So, contribute $25 to our campaign right now. Whoa ... is that Jay Lassiter in that picture?
I'll be there. Jeff Gardner will be there. People you know will probably be there. You don't need to be a DFA member to join us - did you know Ed's endorsed not only by DFA but also MoveOn? And Stonewall Democrats. And American Federation of Teachers. Have you seen this PSA Ed made for young people like Tyler Clementi?
This is a good guy challenging a first-term incumbent - Leonard Lance - who had 3 Tea Party challengers in the Primary. Voted against the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Terrible record on financial reform and on jobs. We can do better with Ed, high school chemistry teacher who won an Einstein Fellowship that sent him to Washington to work on education policy. Now we want to send him back to Washington. And make it stick.
I didn't know until today that Ed was once the Residence Counselor at Davidson, the dorm Tyler Clementi lived in. A few years earlier, and it might have been Ed that Tyler came to for help. Breaks my heart. - promoted by Rosi
As you may know, Monday October 11 is National Coming Out Day. The annual day encourages young people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or questioning to feel comfortable being open about who they are. Sadly, we know all too well that for many, coming out isn't easy or safe. Last week, the senseless death of Tyler Clementi was an unfortunate reminder that too many GLBTQ young people do not feel safe or welcome in this world. It breaks my heart that he was made to feel unwelcome at Rutgers, my own alma mater. It has been heartening to see the gay and straight communities come together in the wake of Tyler's suicide to condemn the bullying and violence that makes our young people feel alone and unsafe. But we must continue working together to ensure that the coming out process for our young people is more accepting. Thousands of teens and young adults like Tyler face bullying and violence every day simply because of who they are. This has to end.
Teenagers are dying because they are gay. Tyler was not the only life lost this month because of gay related bullying or violence. This is unacceptable.
National Coming Out Day is a call to arms for both the gay and straight communities. We must commit to making the world safe for all of our children. We have to make sure that children and young adults grow up knowing that they are loved and welcome for who they are. And we must repudiate intolerance from the start, so that more children grow up knowing that homophobia, hatred and bullying are unacceptable. As Harvey Milk once said, "all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential." Milk said this over thirty years ago, but the sentiment is timeless, and we are clearly not there yet. We still have work to do make this a reality.
Earlier this week, I filmed a video for Dan Savage's "It gets better" project. I'd like to share it with you:
We all have to work together to ensure that for those who are preparing to come out and those who are already out, it WILL get better.
I live in Hunterdon County. Leonard Lance, whom I've known for years, is my congressman. It's hard to explain to someone outside this crimson geography Hunterdon's relationship with Lance. He's a known presence on the street, as his father Wesley Lance - who preceded him in both the Assembly and Senate - was. A friendly person, even if you don't always agree.
Why then is Lance ducking a debate with his Democratic challenger, Ed Potosnak, here on Hunterdon home turf? I'm bamboozled.
Potosnak's asked Lance to debate for months. Hearing nothing back, Potosnak accepted 6 debate invitations himself. Potosnak finally heard from Lance last week, a friendly call but without Lance agreeing on the number of debates, location, or dates. (Potosnak also invited Lance on a side-by-side grassroots tour of the District together - yes, he declined).
Now comes word Lance will accept just 2 debates - one for TV (hosted outside NJ-7), and only one in NJ-7 - in Union County. Far away from Lance's home turf. Why is that? You'd think Lance would insist on at least one matchup here where he's served the public his entire adult life, where his father's political legacy still commands respect, where Chris Christie had victory just 11 months ago. Is he concerned his support in the reddest part of NJ-7 has eroded? Lance had 3 Tea Party-inspired opponents - the most of anyone in NJ. Two are from Hunterdon; David Larsen (Tewksbury), the strongest, who's already signaled he's running in 2012, and Alonzo "Lon" Hosford (Milford).
Still, I'm surprised Lance declines to stand up here in this county he's represented for years, and face his opponent. Looks like Middlesex and Somerset get snubbed, too. Two years ago, he wanted more debate with Linda Stender.Is this the same guy? What happens next?
Ed Potosnak, proud Rutgers alum and Democratic challenger in NJ-7 against Leonard Lance, will be performing the National Anthem and the Alma Mater today before Rutgers Homecoming Football Game against Tulane University. He'll be singing with the Rutgers University Glee Club and alumni. Once upon a time, Potosnak was President of that Glee Club, which was founded in 1872, and is the oldest student-run organization at Rutgers. He was a 1996 undergrad, and a 1999 Graduate School of Education grad. Here's what Potosnak said today:
Singing on the field at homecoming is a time honored tradition for the Glee Club and its alumni. Cheering the Scarlet Knights on Saturdays was one of the highlights of my time at Rutgers as an undergraduate and graduate student. I can't wait to get back to the Banks of the Old Raritan this Saturday. Let's go RU!
