NJ-05

U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will be in two of New Jersey’s most competitive congressional districts tomorrow.

Van Hollen will make an appearance with congressional candidate Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) in the morning, and move up to the 5th District to campaign with candidate Dennis Shulman in the afternoon.

Joining Van Hollen for Shulman will be U.S. Reps. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn), Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) and Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch).  The rally will take place at IBEW Local 164's Paramus headquarters. 

Shulman, whose race has long been watched by the DCCC, was recently bumped up to its top tier classification of candidates. There are few indications about which way that district is going, but those that do exist show it tightening.

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In the 5th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett will debate Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman three times this month.

The debates could provide good political theater in this potentially competitive race.  Shulman, a blind rabbi and psychologist, has unleashed his considerable campaign war chest on Garrett (R-Wantage) in the form of advertising, highlighting Garrett’s Farmland Assessment Tax Break.  Garrett, meanwhile, has kept a high profile in Washington as one of the most outspoken critics of the recently passed financial bailout package.

The first debate will take place at Temple Emanuel in Woodcliff Lake on Sunday, October 19th at 7p.m.  The candidates will debate the following Wednesday at Sussex Community College at 8p.m., followed by a Friday debate on WRNJ radio at 11:00 a.m.

 

 

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The Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) seems confident that Democrats will pick up two House seats in New Jersey this year, but stopped short of promising financial help to Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi who is challenging Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th district.

"The closer we got to Election Day the more opportunities developed. Sometimes as you get closer some fall off the list. The last time we went through this in 2006, the closer we got to voting day the more competitive," said Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-Md.) in a conference call with reporters today.

The DCCC's third priority in New Jersey is Shulman, who has raised a lot of money for a challenger in a long-shot district, and whose unique personal story has recently drawn national media attention from publications like Time, Newsweek and The New Yorker.

"The short answer is that we're very impressed with what they've done and we see that campaign on an upward trajectory," he said. more >

Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychologist challenging Rep. Scott Garrett in the fifth district, has raised $585,000 and has $258,000 remaining in his warchest – more  than $100K more than Christopher Myers, the GOP congressional candidate in the third district.  Myers, who faces Democrat John Adler for the seat of retiring Rep. Jim Saxton,has raised $626,549 and has $155,406 cash on hand.  Shulman and Myers each won contested primaries.

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A campaign consultant for Rep. E. Scott Garrett (R-05) called out Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman for hypocrisy today regarding the influence of lobbyists in his campaign.

A week after Shulman’s campaign criticized Garrett for hiring a new chief of staff who used to lobby for mortgage giant Countrywide Financial, Garrett consultant Matt Leonardo sent out a blistering email pointing out that Shulman Campaign Manager Jeff Hauser was a lobbyist for the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR) last year.

“It appears Dennis Shulman and Jeff Hauser have egg on their faces,” said Leonardo.

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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's PAC has contributed $5,000 to 5th district Democratic congressional candidate Dennis Shulman: Getty Images Photo
PARAMUS -- Sitting at a conference table with Dennis Shulman at IBEW Local 164's headquarters with labor officials and two reporters this morning, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) was asked whether he planned to back up his visible support of Shulman with a significant amount of cash.

Hoyer, smiling, pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Shulman.

"Here's another $2,500.  Talk is cheap, right?" said Hoyer.  "It's not in the mail.  It's in his pocket now."

It was the second $2,500 check that Hoyer's political action committee, AmeriPAC, had given to Schulman's campaign - something he said would be a taste of things to come if Shulman continues to run a vigorous campaign against three-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the fifth congressional district.

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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will be in New Jersey today to stump for Democrat Dennis Shulman, who is challenging three-term Congressman Scott Garrett in the fifth district. The event is being held at the IBEW Local 164 headquarters in Paramus.

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The Record has endorsed Dennis Shulman, a blind Rabbi and psychotherapist, to challenge three-term Rep. Scott Garrett in the 5th district. Shulman faces attorney Camille Abate and businessman Roger Bacon in the Democratic primary. The Record has not yet endorsed candidates in the U.S. Senate primaries.

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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' story and message," said Pallone.  "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."

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